Looking For Ourselves
by PersianWitch
Summary: Three years after the infamous 'Naboo incident', our heroes have to face the one behind Hunt for a Jedi... sequel to "Troubles"; rating will go up with story progressing.
1. Chapter 1 Blackie and Sam

_Hi, it's Holly Hellstorm here. Witch caught a bad flu and got taken to the hospital, but after she got better she asked me to add this story. So, here you are:) as she would say, enjoy!_

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What a strange place to find a hunter.

_Shinning Demon__;_ A casino for the awfully rich.

Also, a luxurious brothel.

I look around, carefully maintaining a slightly bored facial expression. Sitting on a high stool, I try to look neutrally interested in some whores that walk through the crowd, searching for potential, money-packed buyers for the night. All of them are gorgeous, from the most arousing races in the Universe and I'll have to congratulate the owner on his taste. If I get to meet him, that is.

_They will ignore you. You won't be acknowledged the first night. Not the second night. Maybe not even the third night. But you have to__ be there. You have to show yourself._

It is my fourth night at _Shining Demon_. I still have to follow the instructions. I find that with each visit it's harder to remain unnoticed. They all seem to notice me, bouncers, whores of both sexes, waiters and even some guests, all expect the bartenders. These bastards are so oblivious of my presence that it is too unreal already. And to think that I have to find one of them…

"Anything more for you, sir? Are you waiting for someone?"

I look up from my drink, only to see the friendly smiling face of the barman who has been ignoring me for at least three hours now. However, the smile doesn't reach his eyes. My training lets me classify that stare as one that's coldly assessing me...

_One of them will ask if you__'re waiting for somebody. Not a woman, a man, a bartender. It's a code. _

"I'm looking for someone." I say, observing him. He narrows his eyes a tiny amount, but the smile still remains in place.

"Can I help you?" He's one of them; I explain now, straight-forward, who I'm looking for and the man nods with a serious face. If I didn't know that all of the staff here are trained hunters and fighters, I'd find it strange that he is acquainted with the real purpose of this club. He looks fragile, slim and rather short, but I know better than that. I encounter people like him on daily basis and know well enough that they are all seriously dangerous.

The owner of _Shining Demon_ employs the best fighters from this sector, thanks to that he's created a casino that has its own security doubled. Even whores here are hunters, or at least some are ex-soldiers or warriors. It pays off, as all of them don't need additional security. Not to mention, they all are in perfect physical condition. Important in their job, you would think.

The barman throws me cautious glance, before smiling and asking me to wait for a moment. He leaves his place on the other side of the counter, to disappear in the back door, while another bartender pops out of nowhere, asking if he can make me another drink. Well, why not? This one is younger and taller, muscled and just exactly how I like them. Lady forbade me to contact privately with any of them, but this one is appealing. I like his dark skin and longer, greenish hair in thin braids. He looks me directly in the eye, but before I have a chance to talk him into meeting me later, the previous bartender is back, now with a woman by his side. She comes near, allowing her companion to take away my green haired whore-to-be.

"Marco said that you are looking for someone, sir. Can I help you?" the woman says and I smile, just a little, just to show her that I don't really care. From the spark in her eyes I know she isn't fooled, though. Is she a fighter as well?

She is small, thin and has a fragile look, but all of them do. It's semi-dark in here, so only when she steps into lights over the counter do I notice something which nearly makes me inhale sharply. However, thanks to my training and teacher, I'm able to push back such an urge.

Cat's ears. Two black ears, peaking from her straight, dark hair. Cut high over nape of her neck, strands of her hair are longer near her face, hiding the place where normal, human ears should be.

She must have noticed my amazement, but said nothing. She smiles, turning a little, for me to see her tribal tattoo, beginning at and enveloping right side of her neck, disappearing under her shirt collar.

"What should I call you?" I ask, ignoring the first question. She still smiles.

"You may call me Blackie, sir Stafador. (1)" she says with friendly expression. Her eyes narrow when she smiles like that and I involuntarily think that she's cute, only to kick my mind back on track a second later.

Stafador, Emar Stafador. I'm pretty sure I haven't introduced myself. And that only shows how good their network is.

_Begin normal conversation. Your contact will only answer general __questions; any mention about what interests you now will be ignored and will disqualify you immediately. Take your time. Wait for their move._

"So Blackie, what would you suggest I drink?" I say, now looking at her carefully, burning every detail of her face and figure into my memory. She seems to like that, not averting her gaze, and suggests a drink called a _Desperado_ as my mind whispers helpfully to me, as I got drown in the whirlpool of her unnaturally big, amethystine eyes.

I spent more than two hours in her company, being graced with her attention focused on me, exclusively. It's a strange attitude knowing that she's a bartender, but then again, she is a bartender in _Shining Demon_. That explains a lot. We parted in friendly atmosphere, with her calling after me to come again, with so much warmth in her voice, that I nearly believed her.

/

"_So? How did you like him, Blackie?" the green haired young man sneaks his arm to hug her around the middle, taking the opportunity while she is spacing out. The woman grins, all her sweetness gone, replaced by faint, disturbing aura, surrounding her like a second skin. _

"_He's quite something, Sam. Force-sensitive, for sure, even if untrained" she says, her voice now few octaves lower, deep, hoarse. She hugs him back, encircling his neck with her own arms, quickly kissing his lips. "And he's damn hot."_

_Sam laughs._

"_Yeah, babe. This may be interesting" he says, kissing her again, this time possessively, erotically. People from other side of the counter cheer for them, whistling and clapping. Blackie allows him to touch her some more, before elegantly releasing herself from his grip, smiling sweetly again to the audience and going back to work._

/

I have been meeting with Blackie for three days now, keeping our conversations carefully neutral, as I was told to by the instructions. To be honest, the delay is getting on my nerves, but well, this only allows them to be sure of their customers' discretion. I'm in no place to complain, needing them as much as I do.

Today, however, is bound to be different.

Blackie isn't there, in her place on the other side of the counter, where I was expecting her to be. Instead, some different bartenders are looking at me curiously, as I've stopped right before them. I don't know these two; they haven't been here yet. New staff maybe? I think what to do, what have I done wrong for her to so suddenly cut the contact, but yet I can find no fault from my side. What's wrong?

I feel a hand on my shoulder and have to fight the urge to grab it and throw the person over my shoulder in defence attempt. I haven't notice any presence near me.

"Please follow me, sir Stafador."

I see the bartender, Marco, the one that sometimes appeared earlier than Blackie. He asks me to wait for her a little longer, as she had some assignments to attend first. What the assignments were, I didn't know and to be completely honest, I didn't want to know. However, an uninvited, unpleasant thought found its way into my mind and returned now. If she is a prostitute, as the majority of the staff here is, maybe she just didn't manage to get here after being with one of her clients? It wouldn't be that surprising; no matter how much I don't like it…

"What for?" I ask, turning to him.

He just bowed, "Master wishes to see you, sir Stafador."

I follow Marco, wondering, "Why now? Why today?" at the same time checking a position of my knife in my sleeve. The bouncers outside took their time molesting me, to find any hidden weapon, but they seemed to have more fun in groping me than in searching for real. Good for me then.

I feel Marco observing me and I quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Will you not ask, where are we going, sir?"

_Interesting._

"Should I?" I ask, only to see that the bartender smile. I must agree, he is an attractive man, even if not to my taste. But, nonetheless, it's pleasant to look at him.

We walk through a whole lot of doors, the man leading me further and further into the building. I try not to lose track of our position, according to the map my Lady gave me, but it's not that simple. So, when I see next door being guarded by two huge humanoid creatures, I sigh inwardly with relief. We are here.

Marco opens the door and steps aside, for me to walk in. The door closes immediately after I walk in. Oh my, how scary.

The man sitting on the couch in the center of the room is fat. Incredibly, at that. His loose robes are supposed to cover at least part of his fatness, but, if one were to ask me, it's a total failure. I hate looking at such a disgusting example of treating one's body, but then again, I'm not here to admire his looks or to choose a lover.

I bow shortly, before looking the owner straight into face. He must liked what he saw, because without words, he gestures me to sit down, on a couch opposite to the one he is half sitting, half lying on.

After I move to take my place, he chooses to speak.

"I heard that you have some business to make with me, Emar." his voice is as sickeningly oily as his whole posture is to me. But I fight back a grimace, only to answer politely. I need him and besides, he wouldn't be who he is now, if he was only a flatterer fool.

"Indeed." I say, cautiously choosing words. "I need to find people qualified enough to perform a mission my Lady designed. I was told you are the one who can help me." I can see that his triple chin moves along with his head movements, when he nods in thought. Who is he kidding, we both know what I want. Maybe he even knows more than I do. Still, we have to play this farce, for him to make sure that I am who I claim I am.

A glass with colorful drink appears on the table before me. My head snap up, only to see Blackie smiling, a tray with another glass in her hands. She winks to me, before silently going to the owner and placing a highball before him, in a reach of his fat, heavy hand.

"That's true, Emar, I can help you. If you are Lady's apprentice, that is." He smiles, observing the swing of Blackie's hips and tail, when she walks back towards the bar that I can see in the corner of my eye. Blackie joins another bartender behind the bar and disappears from my sight.

I focus my gaze on the owner again.

"My Lady trusts me." I say, rolling up my right sleeve. A few seconds more and owner's face is lights up with an understanding smile.

"I see. Now, I think we can play with our cards on the table. Who do you need, Emar?"

I grit my teeth. His demonstrative familiarity is irritating me to no end. Still, I answer with calm, indifferent voice my Lady could be proud of.

"Hunters, Jedi hunters to be specific. The best you have, as the one to capture is an exceptionally famous diplomat."

"Lady had someone in mind?"

My eyes narrow with sudden suspicion, but he gestures me to speak. Seeing his fat hands looming over cocktail glass, I feel my own hands clenching in irritation. That man is so fucking disgusting! The way he talks, moves, the way his body shakes because of fat… ugh…

"My Lady chose Kusj Blackstone and Talik Samos, the ones that are said to have an agreement with you." I say harshly. The need to get out of here, to get out of this room is slowly overwhelming me. But, a voice from behind me makes me freeze in my seat.

"Ya heard that Sam? She chose us! Woohoo!"

A sudden realization hit my mind in time with the owner's smile, which shows his contentment. I look at the two approaching me and shake my head in resignation.

"Sam and Blackie. Samos and Blackstone. I should've known."

Blackie happily jumps on the couch she decided to sit on. The owner beams with his smile on them, on the small, tattooed woman and green haired, tanned man. Are the pair of bartenders really the two most dangerous hunters in this sector? I very much doubt that.

Taking a second look at the pair, I don't know anymore. I thought I managed to classify them both from our conversations during past three days, but it turns out that I was wrong. Blackie is grinning now, her smile broad and showing her fangs, eyes with dilated pupils, not blinking, observing me with fascination. The way she moves, oh Gods, is as if her joints were tied with elastic bands instead of normal bone structure. It's terrifying to see how far she manages to snuggle on the couch. The killing intent emanating from her makes my skin crawl …

"Yeah man, my babe is an insane one here" I hear Talik-Sam and I manage to rip my eyes from the woman, only to look on the man instead. I was right, he is really handsome; his body muscular, tall, features rather sharp, skin fetchingly tanned. He puts his arm on the back of the couch, near woman's nape, caressing her hair. And is grinning as well.

I pinch a bridge of my nose in annoyance. Now I know who I have to deal with, Blackstone and Samos are rather famous here. A madwoman and an obsessive sniper. Great. Oh my Lady, why do you need a pair of such nuts? Then, I feel like slapping myself. Of course I know, why she needs them. But this doesn't change the fact that I don't like it any tiny little bit.

"So, you want us to catch a Jedi for ya?" I hear Kusj-Blackie say, her voice now deeper, lower, with hoarseness that suggests addiction to drugs, most likely Heffas. I nod.

"And who that unlucky fellow is?" Sam smirks, looking at me from under his long eyelashes, but I'm not interested in him as my sexual partner anymore. The aura surrounding these two is terrifyingly heavy and makes me suffocate with a faint stench of blood filling my nostrils.

I get a grip of myself, then straighten in my seat. My Lady is counting on me and I have to accomplish my mission for her sake, even if I have to turn to someone as despicable as these two.

Blackstone and Samos observe me with interest, when I sigh deeply. They are like two predators, in step with each other, agreeing to wait if their prey will be able to provide them any more fun than it already did. But, they aren't the only one who have secrets here. That thought makes me smile a little, startling them. Then, I remember that a question was asked and decide to get to the business again.

"Lady wants you to capture and deliver a diplomat that will be attending Trade Summit on Crasjania in two weeks time." I say in matter-of-fact tone. Then, another look on the woman makes me add "Alive."

"And his or her name?" Samos starts to caress his partner's shoulder in a lewd manner, with Blackstone completely ignoring that, looking at me with a steady gaze of a maniac.

I smile.

"Qui-Gon Jinn."

* * *

(1) _Emar Stafador_ is a play of words: : estafador (Spanish) swindler, cheater.


	2. Chapter 2 Kidnapping

_**Witch's thoughts:** okay, as I promised, here is another chapter^^ however, this one is unbetaed, from various reasons, so forgive me for that^^' also, I don't know when the next will be posted, let's say again in two weeks time, okay? I'm currently working on a story for a friend and want to end it as soon as possible to clear my head and focus solely on LFO. _

_I'd like to thank FelesMagica and FlowerChild13 for their reviews! thanks so much for following this story^^ and also for rowen_raven who reviewed the last chapter of "Troubles" - thanks a lot!_

_now, enjoy! comments are much appreciated!_

_EDIT (1.03.2011): chapter betaed^^  
_

* * *

Anakin stared through the window in his room, sitting on a windowsill. Observing the outside seemed to totally occupy him, so when the boy spoke, Qui-Gon twitched in his armchair in surprise,

"It's not fair, Master."

"What is, Padawan?"

Anakin sighed and then pouted, turning to the man, "Shakti and Master Alberona are out for a mission, Bant is busy in her ward. Why do they have to have so much to do?"

"First, it's Knight Aumeros and Knight Eerin" Qui-Gon smiled, when the boy grimaced. He knew that both girls fancied Anakin greatly, but that wasn't a reason for them to spoil him.

"Besides, they are not the only one to be busy, Padawan."

The boy became interested so much that he jumped from his place and trotted to his Master, excited.

"Are we leaving for a mission?" Anakin's eyes were bright with joy, when the man before him nodded with small, fond smile.

The boy was ten this year and so, was allowed to be taken on safe, no-risk, diplomatic missions, like the one they were assigned now. Qui-Gon took out a report with their assignment and looked through it once more with his Padawan. Anakin was so happy to be going out of the Temple that he even ignored the fact he was surely going to be extremely bored during negotiations. The man smiled, seeing the data: Crasjania, a planet famous for its beautiful, tropical landscapes and colourful birds. He was there once, even before he met Quella and it had left him a lot of pleasant memories.

The Master looked forward to the mission, thinking about how to steal some moments alone in the forests between Trade Summit negotiations…

/

The soft humming of engines woke him up.

Well, not literarily. He didn't see well, vision blurry and mixed, his head was spinning and his pulse was drumming painfully in his ears. Feeling numb, he tried to lift his hand to his face, but he discovered that he couldn't.

"Qui-Gon Jinn." A woman spoke, from somewhere to his right. Unconsciously, Qui-Gon tried to look there, his warrior instincts reacting before his clouded mind noticed a need to. Shaking his head to get rid of fog present before his eyes, he focused on the one speaking to him.

"Jedi Master and universe-wide famous diplomat…well, that makes an impression."

The woman was sitting on a chair, supporting her arms on the head rest, as the furniture was turned to face the man with its back. The first thing that drew his attention was her smile, broad, toothy smile of a predator. She wore a blood-red lipstick…

The woman cocked her head to the side and Qui-Gon gasped, having seen her face clearly. Unnaturally big, amethystine eyes; short, dark hair, shorter at the nape of her neck only to get longer towards her face; two black ears, peeking from her strands…

A Shairaani!

She smiled, her eyes narrowing into thin lines. One could say she looked like a sweet little girl, if only it was not for a murderous aura surrounding her like another layer of skin.

"Hello, Master. Who I am? Kusj Blackstone, at your service" she observed him, waiting for meaning to sink in. When the man didn't say anything, she continued, well-aware of dilation of his pupils "Just to fill you in on what is going on: you have been kidnapped. Most likely to be a slave. It's not my business, so I won't reveal for whom."

The man remained silent. Seeing that her words didn't make him react as she wanted him to, Kusj stood up slowly. Without blinking she observed the man, who was sitting on the floor, his hands bound and his body still paralysed with the after-effects of the drug beginning to wear off. She cocked her head to the side again.

Qui-Gon remembered a small, black waitress, who'd brought him his water and groaned inwardly. Everything made sense now; he felt that in his veins ran karantyr, a poison especially made to immobilize Force-sensitives, invented by and for Jedi hunters. He had seen its effects too many times before, when JAFs and his fellow Jedi managed to retrieve some of the missing ones. Hunters used the poison recklessly, not caring if it was too much or too little, not minding if the substance damaged muscles and veins. The Jedi who had been under the influence of karantyr for more that few weeks were sometimes not able to walk on their own and healers were more than sure that they wouldn't be able to again. Remembering the remorse and misery of the victims, Qui-Gon felt his fist clench.

Kusj smiled again, "Ya know, it's not good to be so silent. The customer wanted you safe and sound, otherwise Master would be angry~!" she said, prolonging any hissing sound in this sentence, with high-pitched, annoying voice. "And I may even think of playing with someone else instead of you, ya know."

Qui-Gon shivered. He didn't remember much, but he knew quite well what being alone, meant.

"Where..!"

"Hey babe, having fun?" another voice could be heard and Qui-Gon saw a man entering the room. He was tall, tanned and handsome in a way that most women would find attractive. Long, thin braids were constantly falling on his face, so he had to adjust them over and over, with nonchalant move of his muscular arm. However, the eyes hidden behind that hairdo were as sharp as bare laser blades. And equally terrifying.

"Where is the boy?" Qui-Gon asked his voice calm and strictly firm, as if he was reprimanding a nasty Padawan. The man eyed him, impressed.

"For real? No side-effects? That idiot who sold me the karantyr must have swindled me." The man sounded impressed, watching Qui-Gon with bewilderment. The Shairaani hugged him in the middle and snuggled into his clothes.

"He is a Master, after all" she purred, touching gently his sides and feeling his muscles "it's a good change, once in a while. No cheeky Knights this time."

Feeling ignored, but knowing they had done it on purpose, Qui-Gon remained silent again. His mind started to work faster, overcoming the mental effect of the poison, once it managed to grasp of whatever it was that circulated in his organism. He let them babble meaninglessly, as they seemed to have forgotten about him being there. No matter how much he was worried about Anakin, he needn't let them know that.

"Ah!" the woman stopped stroking her man's body and twitched, as if getting an idea, suddenly. "ya think it's okay to bring kid here?"

"You mean that troublemaker?" the man smiled broadly and Qui-Gon felt crawling sensation of panic about what had happened to his Padawan. "Sure. Should I?"

"No." Kusj let go of him, only to walk to the door in two long strides and palm the lock that clicked softly. "I'll go. Ya stay here and watch out for the old man."

The green-haired man just laughed with the melodious voice of a ladies man. He sat down on the chair that his woman had left behind and locked his eyes with the Jedi Master's. Qui-Gon promised himself he wouldn't react and he didn't, surprised at how hard it was.

"Jinn, huh?" the man observed his prisoner carefully, slowly, somehow lazily. "I'm Talik Samos, nice to meetcha." When he didn't receive any answer, he just sighed, as if resigned. "You know, it's better that Kusj was the one to bring kid here. We need him alive too and she doesn't like to see children suffer. She kills them right away. Unlike me."

The Master's mask didn't falter, but he knew he'd paled, upon seeing how the young man's face changed. In one minute he was an exotic, naughty, good-looking charmer, in the next turning into blood-thirsty, insane murderer. He didn't move from his chair, but his aura became heavy, pushing oxygen out of Jedi's lungs with terrifying force, his face twisted into an ugly form: teeth bared, eyes wide open, with dilated pupils. Talik Samos, infamous killer of males, females and children alike, insane sniper no one could recruit. How come he was found on such borderline place in the outer space? Why he was paired up with Kusj Blackstone, the most dangerous and vicious Jedi hunter in this sector? But, more importantly, what had he done to Anakin?

Feeling cold sweat appearing at his temple, the Master forced himself to stay still. A rule not to let him see how shaken the Jedi was, still stood. And it had to be effective, as Samos lost his murderous aura in an instant, instead laughing again cheerfully and totally defencelessly.

"Oh yeah, Kusj is nice, isn't she? I try to do something about it, but still, I haven't succeeded so far." He supported his elbows on the armrests and went back to observing his prisoner, once again calm and a little ironic. "In those training grounds of yours, you teach people strange things. She can't overcome it even now."

"Strange things?" Qui-Gon couldn't help himself. His mind was better, even if still clouded by heavy, grey fog of the drug. But that didn't mean he could think with his usual sharpness and wit.

"Oh, so you don't know? No way!" Talik tossed his head backwards with laughter, his braids scattering over his shoulders. "My babe is closer to you than you think. You and those geezers from Coruscant should check more often what is happening with kids in AgriCorps, old man."

He finished talking when again; a click of the lock could be heard. Talik quickly drew his hand forward, this way protecting his head from being hit with blanket, thrown with much force into his direction.

"You talk too much."

Kusj stepped forward, dragging behind her an unmoving, small figure. Her partner just laughed cheerfully, standing to his feet with swift movement of his whole body.

"Aww, don't say that, Blackie." He said, with one hand lifting the body of unconscious boy and taking him to the wall, near where his Master was sitting. The man serenely watched as his Padawan was dumped on the floor, limp and unnaturally pale, with a strange, metallic collar around his neck. And Qui-Gon was painfully aware what it was.

"Oh!" Kusj stopped in the doorway, already leaving, but suddenly hit with an idea "you may want to cover him, otherwise he will die from shock." She threw the blanket at him, narrowing her eyes. "Seems like he isn't used to the inhibitor. Too bad then, because you two will not be walking around without them anymore."

With those words, she stepped out of the room, with Talik following her closely. After the door closed, Qui-Gon waited for a minute to make sure they were not coming back anytime soon, then he jumped forward to the boy, ignoring white flames of pain exploding before his eyes.

Anakin's heartbeat was erratic, he was sweating a lot and his breath was uneven, all signs of a state of withdrawal. His condition was quite dangerous, as strong a Force sensitive as the boy was, if he wasn't connected to the Force anytime soon, he would die from withdrawal shock. Qui-Gon felt his muscles tense; he was aware that hunters used inhibitors and all kinds of gadgets to prevent Jedi from connecting with Force, but he didn't even expect them to use such things on children. In their training, Padawans were taught how to cope without the Force, but in Anakin's case, he was still addicted to it, and needed it to survive.

As suggested by the female hunter, Qui-Gon covered the boy with the blanket, gathering his shivering body into his arms. Forcing his tired mind to put some effort, he tried to analyze all ways of escaping. There had to be something he could do, he wasn't Master for nothing. He had encountered a lot of similar situations with his previous Padawans and somehow, they always were able to break free…

However, the unwelcomed image of all the retrieved victims he had seen filled his mind. Those who couldn't walk, couldn't sleep because of nightmares, couldn't fight anymore… Force, what had been done to them? Was that what awaited him? What was that shivering? Was he… afraid?

With trembling hands, he felt around his own neck. That's right, the inhibitor was there. Well, that at least would explain his uneasiness, the heavy weight in his mind and the inability to let go of his worries. Besides, who knew what that Shairaani woman was able to do? Had she gotten inside his shields and messed with his bonds? Who knew?

And what should he do? How to escape? Anakin whimpered weakly on his arm, not waking up even for a moment. He was hot; his fever must have risen again. Something must be done and quickly…

If only he wasn't so tired…

Qui-Gon smelt something change in the air filling the room, but before he could react in any way, he felt his hands fall onto his knees, too heavy to move. His vision blurred once again, mind rioted against him, refusing to take any coherent thought in and what was left for him, was only his eyesight, but even that just half-way, as his eyelids fell nearly closed. He saw that the door opened with soft hiss, revealing small, black figure.

Kusj Blackstone again, huh? He thought, unable to draw any further conclusions from what he was seeing. She had a breathing mask on and something in her hand, like a needle…

Everything ceased to matter at all, disappearing in crazy whirlpool of Technicolor and mind-breaking whistling.

/

Kusj stepped confidently into the warehouse that was supposed to be deserted. It wasn't.

A group of seedy looking people awaited her. One of them, a tall Corellian, went to greet her, but she stopped right away, taking a defensive stance.

"You're not the one I agreed to meet here." She hissed angrily, touching the handle of the Sudanese sabre attached to her belt. She didn't react at Corellian's hands, up in the air to show he didn't have any bad intentions, but neither did she back off. Seeing that she was waiting for their move, the man decided to speak.

"Unfortunately, Mister Stafador couldn't make it today. The JAF are getting bolder and he had to take the longer route here. I'm his right hand."

"This is not what we agreed to." The woman barked angrily, taking a step back. But no more.

"It can't be helped." The Corellian shrugged. He seemed indifferent and calmly interested. "Now, if you would show me the Jedi?"

Kusj frowned, not letting go of her sabre, but the observation must have been positive, as she nodded and reached to the comm. at her belt. After some time, the door behind her opened, to reveal a man and a boy, with their hands tied and heads hanging low. They looked subdued somehow, moved forward like lunatics and only when they passed the doorway, another person behind them was made visible.

Talik, with two guns drawn out and pointed at the hostages' backs, made the Jedi move forward. At his belt and on special straps over his back, the young man had many more guns that one would even consider possible for a sniper to wear, but he moved, unusually, lightly and swiftly with them. He manoeuvred to reach Kusj's side, stopping the rapt ones abruptly by tugging at their clothes.

"Two hundred thousand credits for kid and million credits for old man." Talik said, swinging his gun and aiming it again, but this time on Master's head. The Corellian guy remained smiling and started to bargain with Samos who seemed to have a lot of fun in that, but the usually noisy Kusj stayed silent beside him. She was standing quietly, her arms crossed on her chest.

The Corellian stepped closer with a suitcase containing money in hand. Talik pushed the kid forward, sending the man after him, still aiming at their heads with his guns and waited for them to meet in the middle of the way with the "right hand man". Grinning like a gambler who won a prize of his life, Talik relaxed.

And that was a mistake.

When Kusj pushed him into relatively safe zone behind a pillar, the place when the two of them were standing had been pierced by countless shots from the Corellian's group. The two Jedi were taken quickly away from the battlefield, when some other figures appeared in the field of vision. Kusj cursed.

"We were busted! It's JAF!"

She grabbed fiercely at her sabre, with one hand hitting its hilt with much force. The soft clicking died in the common noise, but in a second, the Shairaani was holding two Sudanese sabres, thinner but equally deadly in combat. Two handed cutler!

"Fall back, babe!"

Talik threw something into the group of the commandos, making them immediately scatter all over the hall before he shot the thrown ball. It exploded, engulfing all of the JAF squad in thick fog, preventing them from any attempt at controlling the situation. Various orders crossed in the air, soldiers charging in different directions, but soon, hearing a noise of the of a ship's engine, they had to admit the seemingly impossible.

They had escaped!

/

"…and, and then they simply disappeared! You can't imagine that Shakti, but she was like a monster! They shot her in the face and she avoided it only a little! It was….!" Anakin was bouncing on his bed like a ball from excitement, not caring about all his dressings and drips attached to his arms.

"Wizard?" Shakti laughed, at the same time trying to coax the boy into calming down. She adjusted on the healers' ward's chair, her tail creating a line of question marks in the air.

"Yeah! Just wizard!" Anakin agreed enthusiastically, but before he managed to say anything more, the girl was called to go out.

"Sorry Ani." She said, standing up. "I have a mission to attend and won't be coming for a while, okay?"

"Aww, again?" the boy pouted, sticking plasters deforming on his face from wrinkles. "You are busy, aren't you?"

Shakti laughed melodiously. "I guess. But don't worry, it's a short one this time."

She kissed him on the forehead as a good-bye and shut the door after herself, coming out. Sighing, she greeted the man waiting for her with a nod of her fair head.

"Sorry Bruck, I didn't have heart to leave him alone."

"It's alright." The man said, eyeing her with a frown. "You sure you okay, kitty?"

Shakti looked up at him. "No, I'm not. My head hurts." She complained weakly, but took her bag and followed her partner through the corridors.

"When are you planning to tell the kid?" Bruck asked, with nonchalant movement of his hand combing through short, white strands of his hair, at the same time observing the girl walking beside him. She looked as tired as he felt. Her face was tensed with mental stress; white hair making her look even older than she already seemed due to her abnormal maturity. Because Shakti had no longer shining, fair hair resembling optic fibres twisted together. Her hair was still curly, but now, after the infamous Naboo incident, had gone completely white. Entirely, senile, terrifyingly white.

In some way, they matched each other.

"What are you saying?" she stopped abruptly, turning to face him. He calmly returned the stare.

"When will you tell him the truth, kitty?" Bruck asked and his indifferent tone made her twitch nervously.

"I hope I'll never have to." Shakti whispered, resuming walking forward, but not looking back. Hearing that Bruck snickered and followed her, she sped up. They still had to get to the landing platform in order to board on the ship to their new destination.

They somehow managed to make their way through crowd in the space port, looking for the right transporter to get on. Bruck was jostling forward, with Shakti tailing after him in the cleared path. She was too small and too weak to make her own way and she had to rely on her partner in this situation. Suddenly, her ears pricked up.

"…ght Chun! Knight Aume…!"

She turned around, only to see Bant waving to her from a different platform. The Calamarian was beckoning on them to come closer, but Shakti signalized her that they can't, as they are not welcoming anyone, being passengers instead. Bant shouted something then, but again, a crowd noise prevented Shakti from hearing what it was, even with her supplementary hearing. The healer seemed to wait for some ship to arrive, was it that someone important was coming back? And what was Bant so excited about? She was nearly bouncing in place, nearly as Anakin was. Did something good happen? Shakti smiled tiredly. That's good then…

"Kitty, we are late! Come on!"

Shakti waved goodbye to Bant, starting to run after Bruck. With her face turned away, she didn't notice that the space transporter Knight Eerin was waiting for, along with much more Jedi than she would ever think to be there, had landed already. After they went through the passport check, having made it just on time, Bruck took Shakti's bag with his own, only to put them into luggage basket with others, when a loud cheer from nearby platform nearly deafened them.

"They sure sound like they're having fun, don't they?" the girl asked, with relieved sigh falling onto her place in the passengers area. "I hope we will get to know what is this all about when we come back."

And how right she was…


	3. Chapter 3 Encounters

_**Witch's thoughts:** hello there. I thought I'll be late with this chapter and actually I should be, but I sat today by my laptop and wrote it anew. I'm posting it as soon as I finished writing so if you get an impression of it being nothing more than a detailed sketch, well, that's what it is. I'm sorry about it, but some awful things happened lately and I entirely lost my will to write, so I decided to use it once it came back a little. still, I'm quite shaken and don't know when I'll be able to continue writing this story properly. IF I'll be able to at all. _

_I've a lot of complaints that my writting style is messy and sometimes it's hard to figure out, who is exactly talking. sorry about that, but I tend to jump from narration to narration, scene to scene, trying to omit things that seem boring. here too, there can be some confusion, so I want to clear it right here, in the beginning.** IMPORTANT:** after the first piece, the narration switches to first person and we have five different narrators: in first piece speaks Quella, then Mace, Garen, Bant, Quella again and then Anakin. _

_I'd like to thank gurnius for the review, it really made me proud that you liked the continuation. thank you very much:)_

_have fun, everyone.  
_

* * *

What Shakti didn't know, was that half an hour before her ship took off, Mace Windu visited Jedi Master, Quella Alberona. The fact itself was quite insignificant, but even so, said Master nearly got a heart attack as a result of such visit.

"What do you mean?" Quella stood up abruptly, knocking down the chair. She looked at Mace as if he suddenly had changed into a green cat.

"I said, one of your precious contacts is coming to Coruscant. You may wish to greet him." Windu wanted to surprise Quella and he had succeeded in a way, not answering her shouted question about, "who the hell was coming". Worried, the woman immediately chose to go to the space port, just in case, just to make sure that she wasn't being made fun of. Even though she had been working with Mace for about three years now, she couldn't force herself to like him and, well, vice versa. However, he would not deceive her in such serious matter, would he? Mace Windu was too serious a Jedi to play such jokes, and as much as she was malevolent towards him, Quella couldn't deny that the Councillor was a great Master. And that reluctant respect was what made her move from her room, from the Temple to the landing platform of the nearest sector.

Running, Quella passed by consecutive levels of the city, but noticing nothing of it. She allowed her body to move unconsciously, at the same time letting her mind wander about the problem she was to encounter any minute now. As a Jedi Shadow, she worked with beings of various races, scattered all over the universe. This created a net of contacts that controlled the information market in the Republic and the Outer Rim. What did Windu mean by saying that she would want to greet the contact? Usually, Quella wasn't aware of her spies' identities, knowing very well how dangerous for them it would be. Which one of them would that be? Why would she need or want to meet him? Such a lack of knowledge irritated her, at the same time scaring her a little. As cocky as she was, the unknown was always scary.

Quella slowed down, when she reached the space port's terminal. Remembering that Mace said she would easily know where to go, she looked around, not really knowing what she was searching for. A crowd on one of the platforms drew her attention, mainly because she noticed plenty Jedi robes there. Distrustfully, she moved forward, observing the surroundings, but nothing suspicious happened. The terminal was full of beings waiting for their respective shuttles and nothing stranger than a loud, pissed passenger occurred. The hall was full of the usual noises: the buzz of conversations in all languages of the Republic was strangely reassuring. Quella wandered aimlessly through the crowd, ignoring the stares full of respect and curiosity thrown at her Jedi robes and lightsaber, visible a little under the cloak.

A shuttle landed and Quella launched into fast mix of dodges and changes of direction to get through. Now, she was sure where to go, as she noticed some of her fellow Jedi on that platform, one of them being Bant Eerin. What was a Jedi healer doing here? What were all the other Jedi doing here anyway? She was quite sure no diplomat or other important person was expected to come and even if there was someone coming, it wouldn't explain appearance of a whole team of healers, as she noticed them behind Knight Eerin. What the hell was going on?

The ship landed and passengers started to come out onto the platform. The Jedi moved as a group, Quella slipped into a space behind them, not wanting to be discovered. She planned to just observe all those who left the shuttle and then determine, who could be the one Mace was talking about. Focusing on finding any strange or abnormally normal aura of disembarking ones, Quella lazily made her way through the crowd, when a loud cheer hit her ears, along with nauseating realization of familiar presence near. She swayed, surprised, at the same time feeling that her hair were rising on her head. She would recognize that signature everywhere and always.

What the fuck was Endavi doing on Coruscant?

Quella sped up, elbowing her way through the crowd. A group of hooded people appeared on a gangway, one of them giving off strong Shairaani aura. On that familiar presence, Quella cursed mentally, directing her steps to the place where those people stepped onto the platform, immediately engulfed into happy group of previously waiting Jedi. Feeling an unjustified anger rising in her chest the closer she got, Quella violently got through, reaching with her hand to take off Endavi's hood, when the person she was aiming at turned around abruptly. Quella felt her knees went weak all of the sudden.

It wasn't Endavi. It was a person with signature completely covered by Endavi's.

"Hello Master Alberona. Long time no see."

As her legs couldn't support her anymore, Quella sat heavily where she was standing, with wide, unbelieving eyes looking at the hooded man. He, from his side, smiled at her serenely, with one hand adjusting some strands that were falling onto his face. The woman was frozen, unmoving, not even blinking in shock, with exception of one, quiet word that escaped her whitened lips.

"Kenobi…"

/

I can't believe it. I just can't.

His tale is too impossible to be a lie, but even so… it's just… I can't… oh Force.

If it wasn't for the Councillours, I'd be already banging my head on the wall behind my back.

How can he be standing calmly in the center of the room and report all he did during these two years of his spying? What about the year previous, when he should be dead? What for Mother' sake was going on with him for these three years?

And why that fucking Mace Windu is looking at me as if he knew all of this all along?

I can't believe that the one, because of whom my beloved suffered the most, is now in front of me, alive when he was supposed to be dead. If I wasn't myself right now, most likely I'd just faint from shock. I'd faint some time ago actually, when he helped me stand up at the space port. I'm not superstitious, but feeling him touch me, the one that I thought was gone for sure, made me shiver awfully.

I try to fight back the urge to jump to Kenobi and smack him in the head, because Council would surely react to such action. Force forbid, they would join in.

Glancing at this brat's back, I can't help but allow my thoughts to side track; he didn't change much…

/

… he didn't change much. He is still that timid, polite kid I remember always hiding behind Qui-Gon's cloak, but right now, his posture is full of self-confidence, quite unusual for him. Kenobi stands proud, his back straight when in simple words he is summarising three years of his work as a spy. From time to time he looks at me to confirm his words; I'm forced to do so, earning confused and anxious stares from my fellow Masters. However, it has to be done; even not knowing who he was, I have been working with spy 'Deimos' for about two years – he volunteered for this job, after JAF started to widen their information market. The spy applied to Jedi Temple directly, omitting the formalities of military police, this way ensuring his identity to remain secret. Assigned as a contact to Quella Alberona who at that time became a Master, he made quite a work in identifying and hunting down the Jedi Hunters. Some of them, famous and dangerous, were arrested just because of information 'Deimos' managed to gather and that was the reason why we decided to defend our spy from too inquiring JAF investigators. The Jedi have their own ways to check on their informants.

Who would have thought that it was Kenobi? When he finally decided to talk with me two weeks ago, I nearly laughed in his face with disbelieve. Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Qui-Gon Jinn's apprentice, died in the explosion over the Naboo three years ago and posing as the poor lad was inappropriate, to say at least. However, when the spy easily proved his identity, I had no other choice, but to meet him and judge for myself. The discovery of miraculously revived Kenobi nearly made me lose my cool, if I didn't know better, I'd think he had a well-informed look-alike.

The briefing ends with no questions from the Council, or at least not yet. They seem to be too shocked to actually think about anything they want to know now. No wonder, I must have looked like that two weeks ago as well. The whole story with his narrow escape sounds like a hectic dream of a near-killed one, but some proofs speaks in his favour.

There are some things that we do not understand, however, and thus, Kenobi should be questioned about them quite soon. Now, we don't have anything more to do than to let him go and deal with people he left mourning for three years.

/

… for three years! He was gone for three fucking years and now he appears out of nowhere just like that! I can't believe him! No damn way in all Sith Hells! Who does he think he is? Does he expect us, me, Bant, Reeft, all of us to take him in, unconditionally, just laugh happily and don't ask him anything? Does he know how worried we were, how shocked, how miserable? Like hell he does! Like hell he knows what we had gone through! We thought him to be dead, that he died while taking revenge for his Master, fighting with Sith just to get to know now that he was a spy! How come? How come, I ask?

Fuck his explanation! I don't care how he managed to stay alive, how he got to Shairaan and how he became a spy! I don't care what he was doing all these years, where he had gone, who he met, who he arrested!

I'm just so glad…

/

…so, so glad! When I heard about Obi-Wan coming back, first I thought it to be some kind of awful joke! But when met Master Windu, he confirmed it to be true! Oh my, what a surprise. Who would have thought? He is alive! I so can't believe it. When I saw him at the space port, I thought I'd faint, I wasn't convinced until the last second, but when Master Alberona tried to take off his hood and he turned around, there was no mistake! Older by three years, tanned and with some scars, but it was my dear Obi-Wan! I'd recognize his smile right away anywhere! My heart leapt and skipped a beat, I felt like screaming from happiness and to be exact, I still feel like it!

It's a shame that Shakti couldn't come.

/

Shakti couldn't come and Mother, bless that her mission appeared on time. It's now two days after Kenobi came back and even so, that home-coming party hasn't ceased yet. Don't know how come. Anyway, the point is I'm quite concerned how she would handle him coming back so suddenly, considering how she reacted on losing him after Naboo. We don't want to repeat what happened then, do we? It would be hell of troubles if we allow her to go rampage again. Well, I don't even know if she is aware that Kenobi is back. Should be, right? But, Bant mentioned that she was calm and seemed not to know anything when they met in the space port, so I don't really know if I can be calm yet. Most likely not.

Thinking about that, I guess she should be happy to see him? Who knows, maybe their bond would be restored? Maybe they would be able to become as good friends as they used to? But if not… nah, I'm overreacting, thinking too much. Oh and speaking about thinking…

Just to mention, I wonder how long Qui-Gon would keep me off of his mind and bond. Does he really think that I don't know what they are doing when alone and why he is again and again assigning Anakin for training with me? Oh, for Mother's sake, how old do they think I am?

But it's good to see him smile once more…

When coming out of the Council room soon after the first briefing, we met Qui-Gon there. Instantly, I got worried, so pale he was. Looked as if he was just barely standing, which wasn't so surprising at all, knowing that he just got out of the healers'. But no, he just stood there, watching Kenobi by my side and I was quite sure that I could have walked before them and between them and neither would notice at all. Frustrating.

And it was quite amusing seeing that such a grown-up man, a diplomat and a Master would grab the other, swing him into his arms and hold tight. If I had been as polite as I should be, I would have left them alone, just out of normal discretion, but being myself, I was too worried about Qui-Gon to just walk away like that. And besides, they would have had much more time for themselves later, when they got to the proper quarters. But then, I needed Kenobi and needed him _right away_.

The story he presented before the Council didn't convince me. Not at all. I was curious as all hell and determined to squeeze any information out of him. But it turned out, that I didn't have to.

Now, I'm a very confused, overinformed Shairaani.

And _I'm going to_ kill both of my sisters. They are too strange for their own good.

/

Some strange things happened. First, Shakti doesn't have time for me, always walking around with Koga or Knight Chun and now, Obi-Wan Kenobi came back and everything is upside down. Everybody behaves as if he fell down from the sky and Force knows how he did it. There is no one I can talk normally with, everybody exploding into happy chattering about Obi-Wan Kenobi almost immediately. Bant is so happy that she seems to glow from the inside, as if someone installed a light bulb in her heart. She hardly ever visits me now, always busy and going somewhere and somehow, I feel… lonely.

I quite don't get it, but it seems that Obi-Wan Kenobi got injured after a fight and got transported to Shairaan to Kodachi-nee and Endavi-nee, spent there a year while healing and then became a spy that anonymously helped Jedi in our fight with hunters. Or at least, Master Jinn said so and I take it as he knew what he was talking about… I just don't know, why everybody is so happy! That Kenobi left Master Jinn, left Shakti! He made them miserable! I remember very well that she had to be for a lot of time in the healers' ward and even after that, she suffered greatly, because of her bond that got destroyed! It's good that she was able to stand on her feet again thanks to the other Shairaani guy, Koga, but still. And Master Jinn? He was… broken. They think I didn't know, but how could I not when his mind was bleeding over our bond? I think even he himself wasn't aware of that, but I was! And now, that guy who was the reason for all of it is back, just like that, and everybody are crazy with happiness! How stupid is that?

I don't like him. He made Master Jinn sad and that's what I can forgive. Also, he made Shakti cry more than once and what I hate about him is that he doesn't know about that! He tried to be friendly with me, but both of them, he and my Master, must have noticed that I try to ignore him. That's true that Master Jinn is glowing even more than Bant is, but well… enough to say that they go out of the quarters a lot. Especially when I'm in and with homework. This sucks.

Now as well. I sneaked out just to go to the landing platform of the Temple, just to watch some ships taking off, when I noticed them to be here as well. Ha, such is my luck…

But, Master Jinn seems agitated. Actually, he looks… hey, anxious? What's going on?

I observe from the gallery my Master and that Kenobi as they are going to one of the platforms, as if waiting for a shuttle to land. Maybe they are? But who is coming back? Some acquaintance?

I notice Master Alberona walking their way and I know that now I have to sneak near them as well. There is something interesting going on! Quella is even more jumpy than normally and that means – a lot.

Hiding in the crowd is easy! And Knight Raksion taught me how to hide my signature, so that my Master won't take any notice of me. Well, I don't think he would, anyway. The three of them seem nervous for some reason and that makes me even more curious, what may be the cause of such irritation of my rather stoic Master?

Three shuttles start to land simultaneously and Master and the others are coming near the farthest one, so I follow them, making sure they won't notice me. It's really getting fun; I didn't know that following someone may be so _wizard_!

Passengers are coming down the gangway, all observed closely by Quella, Master and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I don't see who are they expecting to show up, really, why are they so tense…

I notice Shakti and nearly burst from my hideout to run and greet her, when something strange occurs. It's so unusual that I freeze in my place, as surprised as the others seem to be.

Shakti walks down the gangway, along with Knight Chun who is talking about something quickly, when she stops in the middle of her way, looking straight ahead of herself. He asks her something, but she ignores him, slowly turns into our direction and then starts to march towards Master's group. I don't know why, but suddenly, I want to step back and run away, her face is even paler than usual, I can see that her lips are squeezed into a thin line…

Shakti ignores questions about her mission and stops right before Kenobi. He smiles; I don't really know if he wanted or expected her to greet him in any different, but he looks a little surprised. Enough to say that he stretches his arms to hug her, but Shakti smacks his hands away from her. I'm quite far from them, from behind the pillar I can't see everything, but her voice is so cold and furious that I can hear it even where I stand.

"What the fuck are YOU doing here?"

* * *

_Witch again: I'm reading it over and over again and I have the urge to rewrite it once again now;/ :sigh: what a mess. and I REALLY need to send it to beta..._


	4. Chapter 4 Memory Curse

Yesterday, a year passed since I started posting Troubles. Now, I'm nearly in the middle of the second story in this series. I'd like to send many, many thanks to all that stayed with me for so long! Especially for Rhea1305, as she is my precious beta :)

on the other note, I wanted to post the chapter yesterday as it should be for anniversary, but just recently I've figured out how to go around that ridiculous error that appeared everytime I wanted to post something. sorry about that ;/ and besides, I didn't really know if it's the best chapter to 'celebrate', but oh well, the story must roll.

thanks a lot for this year ^^

_**

* * *

Witch's thoughts: **hello there. I haven't added anything new recently, but some heavy things happened yet again and I was seriously thinking of not continuing LFO, but somehow I managed to make past the hard moment, and there it is - new chapter. however, I must warn you that it is more dark and heavy than anything I've written so far, so beware. and no, it's not an effect of my mood, those events were planned far before. but, some important issues first._

_there will appear a new character of mine, Koga Kunein. those who've read previous chapter carefully, will remember that Anakin already mentioned his name. he is a Shairaani and Shakti's bondmate, but why he is in the Temple and how he became a Knight will be revealed with the plot of the story. the point is, I planned to write a bonus chapter for 'Troubles' that would cover a stay on Shairaan before Siri's death, but I actually never managed to do it. pity. Koga will appear a lot now and the you'll get to know his story^^'  
_

_some people were asking me, what music I listen to when writing, and even if I always answer that it's 'various', some pieces were created exclusively for one song. like the cafeteria scene, it was written while listening to "I don't care" by Apocalyptica feat. Adam Gontier, but uncensored version^^_

_I'd like to thank FelesMagica for her review on the last chapter. you really are a faithful reader, and I feel better knowing that at least one person out there likes my story enough o tell me that :) thank you. _

_enjoy.  
_

* * *

"You sure you wanted to greet him like that, Kitty?"

Bruck put Shakti's bag on the chair and watched as she started to unpack her things, sorting them into the appropriate drawers in her apartment.

"What are you talking about?" the girl didn't spare him a lot of attention, her arms full of books walking around the room and checking the shelves. Bruck decided it would be safer to sit down on the bed, far from her heavy books and unsure grip.

"Oh, you know... In the space port, when we met Kenobi."

Shakti whirled around to look at him, her fair eyebrows high in surprise. Blinking a few times in confusion, she laughed quietly,

"Bruck, you know very well that it's impossible. Ben is dead and has been for three years! How could we have met him?"

The man watched as she calmly went back to her things, in no way displaying any aura of lying. He narrowed his eyes, suddenly suspicious,

"So, who did we meet, according to you?" he asked carefully. Shakti's hands stopped moving while fumbling with her spare tunic,

"I don't know Bruck." She said, for the first time a little unsure. But soon, her voice regained its usual self-confidence. "But it wasn't Ben."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Now hold this, I swear I didn't have so many clothes before…"

/

Anakin sighed and turned the page of his physics book, when a shadow covered the rays of sun, which had been warming his cheeks. The boy looked up, surprised.

"Hey Ani, having problems with your homework?"

The boy exclaimed a happy "hello!" upon seeing his friend and turned to her as Shakti sat down beside him. She was nothing like she'd been two days ago, when he came back from the space port frozen and scared. Now, Shakti was back to her usual, calm and slightly melancholic self. Grinning like mad but at the same time not even trying to help it, he asked about her mission, but she laughed and said it wasn't something to talk about before lunch.

"But I already had mine!"

"Too bad then, because I haven't" Shakti smiled characteristically so that her eyes narrowed into thin lines. She stood up, brushing off dust and grass from her clothes,

"I'm going to the cafeteria to meet up with Koga, but can I come by to your Master's later? We have a lot of catching up to do."

Listening to boy's cheerful agreement, Shakti said goodbye and walked away. Now, Anakin's face grew serious. He didn't have to pretend now that her calmness deceived him anymore, he could feel that she was greatly disturbed, but he knew she didn't want him to worry. Shakti didn't want anyone to worry, but that was just the way she was. Always on her own, always independent, afraid to cause trouble to anyone. It's surprising how she was able to fulfil any mission with a partner…

The next second, Anakin found himself on the ground, pushed down by his friends, twins Kumi and Mykki.

"Hey, you didn't tell us you know a Grey Jedi!" complained Kumi, pouting. She looked at her prisoner with faked anger, before releasing his hand from her firm grip.

Anakin frowned, he didn't understand. "A Grey Jedi?".

"A Jedi who met with the Dark Side, but didn't turn," explained Mykki, laughing when his sister made a face at Anakin's lack of comprehension. "You didn't know? They wear grey robes and are rather good at isolating themselves… that girl you were talking with was Knight Aumeros, right?"

Anakin was surprised. He didn't know such a division of Knights existed. He hadn't even noticed that Shakti had been wearing slightly different clothes to everyone else. It sounded interesting, besides, Anakin wanted to know why his friend didn't tell him anything about her being a Grey Jedi, someone who, seemingly, held a lot of respect from the other Padawans. He let himself to be pulled towards cafeteria, as Kumi decided she wanted to see Knight Aumeros with her fellow Knights and while they were eating, would be a perfect chance.

But that was a really bad idea…

/

For a while, I've been wondering about the situation of my bonds. Considering that they have been 'inactive' for about three years, it's a relief to feel them all working properly again. Or nearly all

What surprised me was that I can't feel Shakti anymore. It didn't strike me at first, but seeing her in the space port and still not being aware of her signature and presence was strange enough… or should I say; it should have been strange.

Honestly, I don't remember our meeting too well. For some reason, the details remain unclear for me. I do remember her coming to me, her weird outburst and later, we went back with Qui-Gon and Quella. But what were we talking about before that? We surely did talk, so how come I can't recall a word? It worries me, but no matter how hard I try, I can't remember. The only result I've managed to gain so far is a terrible headache.

I wonder… Shakti sure has every right to be angry, seeing me after three years, when she thought me to be dead. I guess, she can feel betrayed or cheated. But isn't she at least a little happy to see me? Has she shut her shields so tight from grief that I can't reach her? I just hope she will calm down soon. I never thought she would change so much.

I remember her as a shy and gentle girl and later as a restless but responsible, genius healer. Not as the diplomatic, battle-orientated Knight she is now… well, I'm aware that she must have had it hard after I left. Not that I led a rosy life either, but I know that leaving her like that, shortly before she reached maturity, wasn't a good thing to do. Again, not that I had any choice. I didn't want to leave, who would think that? To leave the Temple that is my home, to leave Qui-Gon whom I love more than my life, to leave Quella who taught me things that saved me countless times? To leave her, Shakti, my sister and a second half of myself? How ridiculous is that?

Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in a while. I should go and talk to her. Maybe not feeling her signature has something to do with her? I heard her shields are equal to a Master's level. Besides, I guess it's my responsibility to explain myself for hiding for so long. Yes, talking is a good idea.

As I don't know what she should be doing now, I'll go to cafeteria. If she isn't there, I'll always meet someone who can tell me where she should be at the moment.

/

It's not very far away and I reached the place in practically no time, but my instincts, awakened and trained on Shairaan, forced me to first check who is in the room before I entered. It's a habit now, even in our quarters I can't help but constantly check the locks and doors. I was saved in too many situations by such carefulness for my mind to ignore it.

The cafeteria was not busy, as lunch time was coming to an end. There are some familiar faces around and I made notes to myself regarding who should I visit later to catch up. I noticed fair head by the table to my right. I gritted my teeth forcefully, only to wonder why in the next second. I hadn't seen Bruck Chun for some time, a lot of things had happened and I thought that our childhood quarrels wouldn't affect our work as we are now adults, both scarred and more experienced than we would like to be. Still, I guess old habits die hard.

I saw him talking with some Knight and only when he bent over to reach for something, did I see Shakti sitting beside him. They were a little away from the other Jedi, all three of them wearing grey robes which are unfamiliar to me. A sign of a special squad? Maybe. Quella should know, I made a mental note to ask her later.

Chun put his arm onto the backrest of the bench he's sitting on, this way encircling Shakti's shoulders as well and I felt violent pang in my heart, an awful, acidic feeling of jealousy taking over me. They seemed to be comfortable with each other, she didn't even react to such over familiarity in any way… she didn't even stop talking… so, Shakti found a way cheer herself up after I was gone? I felt my heart starting to beat faster and more forceful in my chest, when I thought about it. It's ridiculous and I knew that, but I couldn't help the fury rising in me when I looked at them: relaxed and laughing.

Chun unconsciously started to stroke Shakti's arms and I felt the fire in my veins turn to ice. I'd always had a good memory and after Endavi's training I can say my memory has become photographic, so I'm quite sure I've seen such scene somewhere…

The image came to my mind, a memory that I hate and despise; a picture of humanoid bouncers, colourful drinks and exclusive decorations of 'Shining Demon'… I suddenly understood everything. I heard blood thumping in my ears when I entered cafeteria, going straight to the table with three Knights dressed in grey.

/

Roxo finished telling them how he nearly got kidnapped during one of his missions and Shakti had to laugh at the ridiculousness of such situation. She wanted to ask him something, but his comm. link buzzed, calling Knight Irrik to the briefing, so he quickly gathered his things and said goodbye, promising to get in touch with them soon.

"Don't get kidnapped this time!" Bruck yelled after Roxo, who winced and disappeared in the corridor, waving to them first. Being left alone, Bruck wanted to turn to Shakti again, but he noticed that someone came closer to their table. Feeling that woman's shoulders tensed suddenly and knowing about her hysterical dislike of crowds, he wanted to tell that someone to leave them alone.

Obi-Wan didn't even allow him to open his mouth.

"Hello Shakti. Hello Bruck." He said his voice cool, calm and unnatural. "Or should I say Kusj Blackstone and Talik Samos?"

To their credit, he had to admit, that neither Shakti or Bruck didn't try to deny anything, they didn't even twitch unnecessarily, remaining in relaxed poses instead. Or so they looked to someone who didn't pay attention to them; the man clenched his fists, but rested them passively on his knees. The woman's body went rigid, she narrowed her eyes and Obi-Wan could swear he saw a faint glint of her claws instead of nails from under her sleeves.

"How do you know?" Bruck's voice was quiet, but normal, not drawing attention. Obi-Wan wondered shortly how much his age mate had changed since they had met last time, before he noticed Shakti watching him and the thumping in his ears became unbearable.

"I've seen you. All you've done. From the beginning I tried to capture you and punish, make you feel all that your victims felt…" he barked, his voice becoming louder and more furious with each word.

"Quiet, for Force's sake!" Bruck jumped to stand up, to grab Kenobi's clothes and drag him out of the cafeteria to explain in a quiet place that some things shouldn't be said in a crowd, but Shakti's hand prevented him from doing that. The hand armed with long, sharp, steel-hard claws.

"Emar Stafador." Shakti said, unbelieving. "You are Emar Stafador."

The woman stood up slowly, clenching her hand on Bruck's arm with so much force that her claws cut his skin, creating five, bleeding injuries. But the man didn't move. Shakti came closer to Kenobi who stepped back, to gain a little more space than it was between the tables.

"You busted us to JAF. You wanted us to be killed." She said, watching his with wide-open, shining eyes. Her pupils were vertical and thin as needles.

"You hunted and captured over twenty Jedi teams. You kidnapped Qui-Gon with Anakin. You wanted to hurt and sell them." Obi-Wan didn't feel well. His attention was wavering, he wasn't sure anymore where he was and with whom; the only clear detail was Shakti's fragile figure; cornering his and making him involuntarily walk back. Everything else went blurry. And crimson red.

"You left me and made me suffer. Do you know how it feels to have your mind broken?" she asked, her tone like snake's, hissing and quiet.

"You were quite fast to comfort yourself with someone else, though. Do you know how it feels to know you can't go back to where you'd die to be?" he responded, hoarsely, his body trembling and sweating as if from high fever.

As much as both of them were trained to cover their emotions for no Force-sensitive to feel, the Jedi gathered at the cafeteria started to notice that something was going on even before Bruck Chun jumped between Kenobi and Aumeros to separate them. The crowd's attention was focused on that three, Obi-Wan Kenobi who'd miraculously came back from the dead and two respected, but feared Grey Jedi. No one noticed that three little kids, Padawans who shouldn't be there, sneaked into the cafeteria, when everybody else was watching the Knights.

Later, nobody was sure who pushed Bruck aside, Obi-Wan or Shakti, but all people in the room heard and saw the moment the two lightsabers clashed. With the swift movements of trained assassins, Obi-Wan and Shakti attacked the other with so much force and viciousness that the more Force-sensitive Jedi present, were suffering.

"Kitty, cut it out!" Bruck tried to catch his partner, but Shakti avoided his hands, made a pirouette and jumped onto one of the tables, causing people sitting there to run away. Kenobi followed her, his 'saber mercilessly finding and aiming for her blind spots.

"Chun, what the hell is going on?" Bruck looked around. From the group of witnesses the other Shairaani Knight, Koga Kunein, appeared cold fury on his face. His tail whipped angrily from side to side when he reached Bruck's side, his ears flat on his head. He followed Shakti with his eyes for a second, watching as she managed to cut Kenobi and turned to Bruck, his expression strangely contracted and uneasy.

"Let's catch them!"

Obi-Wan ducked from Shakti's blade, only to try and cut her from below. She blocked his 'saber just when he thought he'd got her, stopping it with her claws. The blade started to get through the hardened flesh, so she backed off her hand, jumping backwards and up, bouncing off the wall. Not trying to get away, Shakti aimed to attack Obi-Wan from above, but he avoided direct hit by rolling under the tables and standing up behind her back when she landed. Shakti turned around with a powerful back swing of her 'saber, at the same time drawing another blade form her belt. Faintly remembering through thick fog surrounding his mind that Kusj Blackstone used two sabres, Obi-Wan unconsciously positioned his body into appropriate defence form, before he stopped thinking at all.

All of a sudden, Shakti became even faster, neglecting protection, but not caring about minor cuts she was getting because of holes in her defence. In something resembling a ritual dance full of unnecessary moves, at the same time deadly precise and dangerous, Shakti again was getting the upper hand, cornering the man. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and forced himself to hit harder and faster. He didn't have to push himself so hard since the last time he duelled with Kodachi. Compared to Princess General, Shakti shouldn't be much of an opponent.

The cafeteria was a spacious place and considering that lunchtime had already ended, only several people were inside; Obi-Wan and Shakti had a lot of room to move around. They both were covered in blood from some minor cuts, but neither of them was badly wounded, still encircling and attacking the other like aggressive predators. Not sparing any attention to shouting Knights and Masters that wanted to stop them, Obi-Wan managed to land a kick to Shakti's side, putting her off balance and would have draw the 'saber to her throat if someone hadn't caught his already outstretched arm and pinned him to the wall.

Even joining their efforts, Taceho and Koga had a hard time in keeping up with fighting pair. However, in the end they found enough of an opening when Obi-Wan didn't have a chance to defend from them, to catch him and overpower. Each Knight was holding one of Kenobi's arms, pinning them tightly to the wall, pressuring joints not to let him move. Obi-Wan's 'saber fell down, rattling on the floor in sudden silence.

"Let go!" Kenobi growled hoarsely, struggling to get free from firm grip of the Knights. He tried to regain control, but when he didn't succeed, he started to shout, anger and violence so evident in his voice and signature that Taceho stumbled, falling back a little; but he didn't release his hand.

"Let me go! Let go, for fuck's sake!" fighting with struggling Obi-Wan, Koga managed to look back, hearing his bondmate's voice, but seeing that Chun was able to catch her, he sighed with relief. Shakti was fighting Bruck, who lifted her by making a hold on her shoulders. This way she couldn't reach him with her claws, couldn't stand up to support herself, but the most surprising thing was that she didn't even try to. Shakti was trying to get forward, her sparkling eyes set on Kenobi and him exclusively; she didn't try to get rid of Bruck in order to get free, but instead she seemed to be focused on a thought to get to Obi-Wan and strangle him with her bare hands. The same situation was with Kenobi; he looked at the woman with so much hatred that even as cruel warrior as Koga was, he found himself taken aback.

"You fucker, you don't care about me! You never have!"

"Shut up, bitch! Even if I die, you won't be there for me!"

Bruck clearly had problems with restraining Shakti, as she was squirming like an eel, hissing through cat's teeth. From their side, Koga and Taceho were nearly tossed around, when Obi-Wan put all his strength to get forward.

Suddenly, both struggling went limp and powerless as they both lost consciousness. Tapping of Master Yoda's stick sounded like a thunder in confused silence.

"Take them to the healers', you will." The small Master ordered the Knights standing nearest him, who twitched as if woken up, but moved to take care of the unmoving, defenceless bodies lying on the floor.

"Knights Chun, Raksion and Kunein, follow me." Mace appeared out of nowhere, with stern expression watching that the called unwillingly left their posts by their unconscious friends' side to go to him. Behind his back, he heard a door bang on the wall and he knew who pushed it with so much force, Mace winced when the voice turned out to be masculine instead of Quella's.

"Obi-Wan! For Force's sake, what…"

"Shakti!" Quella burst in shortly after, a little kid by her side, just as by Qui-Gon's, both Padawan's pale and scared. Masters ran forward, wanting to go to their unconscious charges, but Windu stepped in front of them, blocking the way. He drew back a flab of his cloak, revealing Anakin and seeing the boy was what stopped Quella and Qui-Gon more efficiently than any order to calm down.

Holding tightly the sabres that got discarded during struggling, Anakin watched with wide eyes unmoving bodies of Shakti and Obi-Wan, tears silently falling down his paled cheeks.

/

"Eerin, come with me!"

Bruck dragged Bant after himself, nearly running to Healers' Ward. After Councillor Windu dismissed them, Chun wanted to go and see what was happening to Shakti, but considering that he wasn't much into Soul Healers' crap, he found and kidnapped Bant to go with him. However, he didn't think he wouldn't be allowed to enter Shakti's isolation room.

"What d'ya mean I can't? I'm her partner!" he yelled at a young healer that blocked his way. The guy would surely budge, but he was quickly replaced by the stern looking, old Kinian.

"Knight Chun." She hummed through the slits on her neck. "If you cause any more commotion, you will disturb the patients and I will be forced to throw you out."

"But at least tell me how is she!" Bruck exclaimed, clenching his fists. However, the Kinian woman didn't respond, just looked at him with sympathy. Bant felt her heart contract painfully. 'Oh Force' she thought 'is it that bad?'

/

Obi-Wan groaned and cursed quietly, when while turning onto his side he ruffled some of his bruises. The awakening was much worse than he imagined it to be.

"How do you feel, Obi-Wan?" The young man smiled even before he opened his eyes, when hearing the voice of the person he loved. Lazily, he raised his eyelids, but then he nearly jumped out of the bed, seeing that Qui-Gon was nearly transparent, he was so pale.

"I'm fine, but what happened to you? You look terrible!" Obi-Wan wanted to touch his lover, but instead he blinked in surprise, seeing that both his arms were bandaged and hurt.

"What happened to me?" he asked, as if wondering. From the corner of his eye he saw that Qui-Gon startled.

"You don't know?"

"No, to be honest I don't remember…" Obi-Wan was getting more and more bewildered with every second passing, as he was discovering new dressings and bandages on his half-naked body with the curiosity of child, he started to touch each and every one with his left hand as the right felt stiff and he couldn't move his fingers yet.

"You don't remember what happened in cafeteria?"

"I was in cafeteria?" Obi-Wan asked, surprise evident in his voice. He looked at Qui-Gon with furrowed eyebrows. The next question, however, was asked with hesitation.

"You don't remember who attacked you?"

"Attacked me?" Obi-Wan's eyes were wide open in surprise "here, in the Temple? Are you serious, Qui-Gon?"

Master nodded silently not trusting his voice anymore. Suddenly anxious and even a little scared as the expression of his lover pained him, but the healers strictly forbidden him to tell Obi-Wan anything.

/

Soul Healer Avari Viamma stood before Masters Yoda, Windu and Unduli to report.

"Knight Aumeros is in coma and locked in an isolation cell in the Soul Healers' Ward. Knight Kenobi has just awakened in the Physical Healers' Ward. Their state is stable, without any danger to their lives. Actually, the physical damage is much lighter than we estimated." Healer Viamma looked at her pad to ensure she had the appropriate notes on. The three Councillors waited for her to continue, unmoving, silent.

"We didn't detect any mental damage that would be a result of such fight."

"So you say that fighting like that was something natural for them?" asked Mace Windu, frowning. The healer quickly denied this.

"Oh no, Master. We _did_ find the reason for their unusual behaviour, but I just wanted to report on their current state." Viamma again scrolled something quickly on her pad.

"The reason find, you did?"

"Yes, Master." Viamma turned to Yoda. "As you are all aware, Masters, after 'Naboo incident', Shakti Aumeros had to be hospitalised because of the damage her bond with Obi-Wan Kenobi suffered. We somehow managed to calm her, but still, she needed advanced mental treatment that she was later provided with on her home planet. The point is," healer Viamma paused, as if she was looking for right words. "The bond that was supposed to be destroyed suddenly came to life now."

"So their bond is restored?" Master Unduli was surprised.

"Exactly the opposite." Viamma sighed. "Their connection had been incomplete to begin with and the 'death' of Kenobi caused it to be destroyed completely for some reason. Their bond is dead. That's why it's even more surprising it activated now."

"Shouldn't they behave differently? I mean, attacking each other, it's not a behaviour previous bondmates should perform."

"It may be a bad comparison" Viamma began slowly, after thinking for a minute. "But that bond, it's like a bare, ragged electric wire."

"A wire?"

"Yes. When bond is inactive, meaning the wire doesn't have the power, everything is alright. But we think that when Kenobi and Aumeros contacted each other, their signatures provided needed power to stir the bond alive." Viamma's voice became concerned and lost a little its harsh tone. "We don't know that for sure yet, all in all Shairaani aren't properly psychologically classified. It's enough to say that power in our comparison meant electricity, so you can just imagine what would happen should someone touch such a wire."

"But an aggressiveness like this?"

"The bond was raw and it hurt the other bonds while the energy urged it to reconnect. Yes, Master" Viamma nodded to Windu's unasked question "they unconsciously tried to bond again. However, we all know it's impossible."

"What happened?"

"The bond started to hurt the bearer's mind, so the organism wanted to defend itself. The mind was out, so the body attacked the reason for its pain. The other bondmate."

"Is it a transient or permanent state?"

Viamma's face grew serious. "We don't know yet…"

/

Shakti opened her eyes slowly, getting used to dim light of the afternoon with difficulty. Her body hurt all over, every move was one hell of a lot of pain. However, in time, she felt better; every second passing was bringing relief and blessed comfort.

"Are you awake, Shakti?"

The girl turned her head to the side, only to see her Master's pale face looking at her with a strange mix of concern and suspicion.

"Yes, Master." Shakti wanted to adjust some hair form her face and noticed she couldn't. "Master, why I'm tied up?"

"Because they were afraid you'd attack them again. Why did you do that?" Quella barked.

"I attacked someone?" Shakti's voice was so full of surprise that Quella looked at her once again.

"You don't remember?"

"No, Master." The girl's eyes were pleading to tell her it was all a lie, but the woman couldn't grant such a wish.

"You don't remember you've met with Kenobi? That he was hiding for three years but is alive?"

"What?"

"You yelled at him, later ignored for some time…"

"Master, if it's a joke, it's not funny!"

"…just to fight with him in cafeteria." Quella finished with force, with narrowed eyes watching her ex-apprentice. Shakti paled, her lips were barely visible in her white face. She was looking, unblinking into the distance.

"That can't be true… I don't remember… it's not true…"

Quella closed her eyes in tired gesture, feeling as if she was experiencing the most awful déjà vu in her entire life. Neither of them spoke anymore and the only sound that could be heard in the isolation cell was Shakti's quiet sobbing.


	5. Chapter 5 What we know, what we remember

_**Witch's thoughts:**_ as you can see, I'm finally back :) why I was gone is a longer story and I know you don't care about it, so here, I present you another chapter, for which you all (I hope) waited impatiently^^

**IMPORTANT BEFORE READING:** there are some issues that need to be explained. here, I used parts of the plot of a Troules' bonus story, describing Quella, Qui-Gon, Shakti and Obi-Wan's stay on Shairaan. that story will be posted during this month I hope, but the problem is, without it, some parts may be not understandable. I'll post the explanation at the end of the chapter, so those of you who want to know what's going on, please scroll down when you see a '*'. alright?

songs in this part:

Endavi's is "Sleepsong" by Secret Garden

Kodachi's is "Lament of Highborne" from World of Warcraft (do NOT belong to me, making no money, yada, yada...)

oh, and sorry for all mistakes, they are all mine. I didn't want to wait anymore ans wanted to post something so badly that I didn't have time to send it to Rhea...^^'

* * *

"I don't like it and you know that."

Koga narrowed his eyes and turned around, seeing that Shakti needed a moment again to catch her breath. He went to get her from the Healer's Ward after she was discharged due to lack of any more wounds to treat. Her Master was busy with something and that duty was left to Koga, who should be in charge of the girl, having her as his bondmate and fellow Shairaani Knight. But the truth was that Koga didn't like the situation as it was and he detested how it was developing. Knowing Kenobi from before, remembering everything about why they hadn't liked each other, made hairs on his nape stood because of sudden shudder of hate that run down his spine. Somehow, he finally managed to set Shakti straight and after all this trouble that he went through, Kenobi came back and most likely would make it crumble loudly just because he thought his half-assed knowledge and loud self was needed here…

"KOGA, I said wait up!"

He turned around, noticing that he unconsciously started to walk again, or more likely, to march forward, ignoring the weakened state Shakti was in. Cursing under his breath and hissing angrily, Koga caught her hand, trying not to see how thin and fragile it was, only to yank her closer.

"Don't separate." He spat.

"I don't understand what are you so angry about again." Shakti sighed, ignoring his harsh tone and snuggling further into his robe. Now, together, they started to move towards her quarters. "I know you had to cancel your classes to get me, but I don't see…"

Only thanks to his extraordinary reflexes, was Koga able to catch his girl, when she first stiffened suddenly and then jumped forward with a growl, full of fury. With surprise, holding her with one arm, only to switch to full hold because she was struggling to get free, Koga noticed that Shakti now ignored all her faults and wounds. Before, she was heavily stumbling, now - standing firmly on both legs, she tried to avoid Koga's hands and get away.

Looking up and ahead provided the answer, why Shakti was behaving so strangely. In the distance, near the turn of another corridor, Koga could see that Master Jinn and Knight Raksion had just the same problem that he was starting to have, as they tried to restrain Kenobi from moving.

"Knight Kunein!" Koga could hear surprised tone of Master Jinn, when he was trying not to let go of his former Padawan's arm. "Get her away, quick!"

"Don't have to tell me, old man" Koga barked back, baring his fangs. He planned to do this anyway, he just needed a second to overpower Shakti. Waiting for a moment she wasn't defending her nape, Koga struck with just enough strength to make her dizzy and confused. Then, throwing her over his shoulder, he made a run for it, leaving shouting Kenobi far away, not even caring to check if Raksion and Jinn needed any help. Now, he had more problems on his own, than to try and shut up a not-really-welcomed-but-returned-anyway-Jedi.

Running through the corridors of the Temple, he ignored all the bewildered glances thrown at him, stopping only when he felt that Shakti started to stir on his back. Not wanting to have his back scratched in her attempt to get free, Koga turned to one of the quieter corridors and put Shakti down. Now, as for her waking up…

He didn't have to wait long, he just managed to finish pinning her down, when Shakti's eyes opened abruptly, a low growl already rising in her throat. Koga was prepared for that, she was much smaller and weaker than he was even when she was healthy and now, her being discharged straight from the Healer's ward only increased the difference. However, he nearly let go of her wrists, when Shakti's eyes searched for his and she bared her fangs at him. The problem was, it wasn't Shakti looking at him anymore.

Habitually, he reached to their bond, only to back off, suspicious. Koga tried again, but when he didn't get through to her mind this time as well, he hissed. He could safely assume that her mind was out, he couldn't even see her outer shields and that made him tighten his grip on her hands.

"I'm alright, you can let me go."

Looking at her, Koga didn't move, still sitting in her middle and holding her wrists tightly. His narrowed eyes observed her suddenly calmed face, searching for any clue what was going on, but seeing only her beloved features instead. Koga started to loosen his grip…

An anticipated flash of victory in her all of a sudden sharp eyes was all of a warning he got and it was enough. Now even straining his hunter instincts, Koga calmly adjusted his grip, squeezing her thin wrists even harder.

"Let me go! Let me go, you jackass!" now, Shakti started to squirm like an eel, trying to move from under his larger body, but failing miserably. She wanted to catch his hands and injure him, to get free at all cost, hissing and trying to bite, all in vain, as Koga held her tightly, with a frown observing what was going on with his bondmate. A flash of violet in her eyes surprised him, in the next second making a little anxious and guarded. He knew what that could mean and he didn't like it at all.

Amethystine eyes watched him, looking for any opening or mistake. They were nervous and with dilated pupils, so alien and unknown that Koga felt his ears were flat on his head without him noticing when. The woman moving under him was not his Shakti; he knew her well and hated from all what he was…

Koga wasn't able to stand maniacal gaze of Kusj Blackstone.

He didn't even try to restrict the strength of his blow, when he slapped her face.

"Shakky, snap out of it!"

Shakti winced, her face got covered with her hair for a moment, breaking the eye contact. Breathing heavily and totally not knowing why, Koga observed her with tension for two, uneasy heartbeats. Then she moved, slowly trying to look at him again.

"Wha- Hey, why did you hit me…?"

Koga slouched where he was sitting, hearing quiet, but offended voice of his beloved bondmate. Shakti moved with surprised expression on her face, trying to straighten up and sit properly by the wall. Her arms and hands were bruised in places where Koga held them, her skin started to turn purple there. Shakti blinked and wanted to adjust some strands of her fair hair that were falling on her forehead, when he asked, his voice confused and unsure.

"Just what for Mother's sake, was THAT?"

/

The door sliding back went unnoticed by four men gathered in the room as they were engaged in heated conversation.

"For Sith Hells, that's ridiculous! How can you not remember?"

"Leave it, my Padawan. He suffered some damage…"

"What is damaged is his brain! Why should kitty be so upset, if it wasn't the case?"

"How is my brain damaged, you white-haired bastard?"

"Obi-Wan, don't stand up, you are injured…"

"Let go 'Ceho, I'll show him how 'damaged' I am!"

"Will you two calm down! You are all Knights, for Force's sake!"

What Quella saw entering the room, was Obi-Wan and Bruck Chun fighting on Kenobi's bed, while Qui-Gon and Taceho tried to separate them. Even from where she was standing, she could see that Obi-Wan was bruised and in bad shape, which was kind of confusing, knowing that he was out of the Healers' Ward just this morning. Something must have happened after he got discharged, but as she remembered correctly, Qui-Gon and Taceho were supposed to pick him up. What in the world could have happened?

Before she managed to react, her companion passed her, pushed Bruck and Taceho away, grabbed Obi-Wan by the collar of his shirt and punched him soundly.

For a moment, silence followed, before it exploded into one hell of an argument.

"I know how you feel Kunein, but you can't kill him!" Bruck jumped to catch Koga, who swung his arm to hit again.

"What the hell was that?" Quella marched towards them, only to support Bruck, when the other Knight started trying to free himself.

"Will you please settle down? We can just talk about it…" Taceho came between the two, trying to separate them and this way avoid another escalation of the fight, but along with others, he turned around hearing Obi-Wan's muffled voice.

"It's all right. I deserved that one." He said, feeling around his jaw and checking his teeth. For a moment he seemed to be deep in thought, but awkward silence in the room told him that his answer wasn't enough. Obi-Wan blinked and tried to move his jaw, what resulted in awful crackling sound.

"'Deserved?' why?" Quella barked at him, seeing that the others are too confused to voice their thoughts.

"Oh, just some old story, about taking care of the kid*, right Koga?" Obi-Wan looked straight into Shairaani's eyes, with something resembling challenge. But Koga didn't respond, he just hissed, forcefully freed himself from Bruck's grip and backed off to the wall. There, he leaned on it and crossed his arms on his chest, in this way showing he had no intention of maintaining the conversation. If it wasn't for his tail whipping angrily around his legs, one could say that the Knight was just mildly annoyed. Yet, Quella observed him with attention, knowing better.

"Since we all are here, what about telling us a little bit more of the past, Obi-Wan?" Taceho tilted his head to the right like a bird, watching the young man, who was still sitting on his bed, feeling around his own face in thought. Hearing a question directed at him, Obi-Wan twitched.

"There is nothing more to say, actually. As I told the Council, I fought with Darth Maul, escaped the explosion over Naboo and the capsule I took from 'Moonstar' had the numbers put for Shairaan automatically. After I got there, princesses helped me to keep my existence secret and healed me, before I became a spy…"

"And that's what's suspicious!" Bruck burst out, but Quella silenced him with a swing of her hand.

"Go on."

"There is nothing to go on about, really." Obi-Wan shrugged with nonchalant move of a self-confident liar. However, he tried hard to avoid looking Taceho in the eyes. "You'd better tell me what was going on here during these years… Qui-Gon wouldn't tell me anything at all."

Quella threw her bondmate an appreciative glance, but she didn't say anything. Also, she kept in place Bruck Chun who again wanted to jump in with some insults and Koga Kunein, who didn't speak, but glared at Obi-Wan nonetheless.

"There is so much we should tell you it's hard to find the beginning." Taceho said quietly. Obi-Wan looked at him with gentle eyes of someone who got already addicted to Knight Raksion's voice. The man smiled and Obi-Wan found himself sighing.

"Then maybe you'll tell me since when you call Chun your Padawan, huh?"

Bruck twitched, but Taceho's face remained calmly indifferent.

"Since his Master was found dead and I was one of the few available Knights that could continue his education, my friend."

"Oh really." Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow sarcastically "Speaking about being dead, wasn't he lost as well..?"

Qui-Gon interrupted Quella, who had already an angry retort on the end of her tongue.

"I think we really should start at the _beginning_."

/

Obi-Wan jumped on his bed, knocking down a glass from nightstand and a pillow from behind his back. He looked seriously moved.

"Insane? You mean that Baby went insane after I was gone?"

"Not literarily." Taceho tried to calm him down with gentle suggestion of his emphatic mind "It was just too much for her weakened mind and losing the bond with you triggered some processes that otherwise wouldn't be started, should she be in better condition."

"Then why was it lost to begin with? Why did it break?" Obi-Wan sounded agitated. A thought that something was making him attack his little girl and, what's worse, making him forget about that at all, well, such thought was driving him _literarily_ insane.

"Still don't know" Quella interrupted. She observed Obi-Wan as he was sitting on the bed with face in his hands. "But thanks to that we got to know how Shakky can turn into Kusj Blackstone.. which is another matter, that we will talk about later." She added quickly, seeing that Kenobi's head snapped upwards and he was ready to ask a question, but they didn't have time and she wasn't in a mood to answer such questions; there were more nagging problems at hand. Like why Kenobi's signature was still covered with Endavi's.

At the question, Obi-Wan just smiled.

"Kodachi-nee* and Endavi took care of me. Endavi saved me from dying. This is just part of my gratitude."

"Shouldn't it be Endavi-nee, instead of just Endavi?" Quella asked suspiciously, a nuance only Qui-Gon and Koga could be aware of. Yet, Obi-Wan smiled even broader.

"Nope, just Endavi is fine."

/

Obi-wan remembered that well. The pain, overwhelmingly terrifying pain that made him feel his insides being ripped to pieces in his chest. Lungs burning with living fire when he tried to breathe…

Next spasm felt as if he had his heart taken out by force, pulling at muscles and joints in his whole body, while through drumming of his pulse in his ears, Obi-Wan could hear clearly a scream and faint sobbing, a voice he should know and probably remember, but who was it that was speaking…?

He knew he was whimpering, a sound not of a proud warrior, but of a miserable, scared child, calling his mother to save him. It was a shame that an adult like him was able to unconsciously perform such surrender, but right now it was all he was capable of. He couldn't think about anything else than the pain, the pain spreading over and over with every beat from his heart into his body.

A quiet chanting in high voices could be heard in the background and Obi-Wan came up with a thought that the crying he heard earlier was going on in his head. From fever maybe? He didn't know and didn't care, because pain dulled all his senses, rendering him unable to open to the Force, to let go of his suffering. At the same time, he more knew that heard that someone continued singing near him, high voices of Shairaani priestesses and shamans adding up as a indistinct sound. Then, they fell silent and simultaneously, Obi-Wan felt the fire in his chest threatening to overwhelm his already faltering consciousness into raging pit of darkness, when abruptly, the feeling ended.

In surprise, he tried to open his eyes, closed and clenched in order to, even if only slightly, disrupt the pain. But he couldn't; a new voice started singing, bringing salvation and soothing his suffering, taking away the fire. He knew this voice, he knew he did, but somehow it was strange…

_Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby_

_Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay_

_And I'll sing you to sleep_

_And I'll sing you tomorrow.. _

The voice was melodious and warm, but somehow, it kept going too high as if the person had been crying earlier and a little unsure, as if the woman was not convinced if she was going to be accepted. He didn't know, who could that be; the only one who could have such voice didn't match the description at all, she was cold and spoiled and surely, wouldn't care about him at all…

_May you sail far to the far fields of fortune_

_With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet_

_And may you need never to banish misfortune_

_May you find kindness in all that you meet _

The pain was fading, slowly, but steadily. Obi-Wan somehow was able to breathe freely again, even though it still hurt a bit. However, the feeling of burning inside was nearly completely gone – with just a little effort, he knew he could reach to the Force and dive into its welcoming embrace… yet, he waited.

Obi-Wan started to understand what was being said, sang to him. He felt the words, he knew somehow, how much emotions were put into them, how much that woman cared for him. Maybe it really was Shakti? Maybe somehow she came to him?

_May you bring love and may you bring happiness_

_Be loved in return to the end of your days_

That longing, that misery… he knew that voice, Force, how he knew it… he had heard it once, many years ago… but the pain fading during her singing, it couldn't possibly mean…

Reaching to the place in his mind he treasured the most, told him everything. There was one thing he didn't expect to see, ragged, bleeding and injured. There was also a thing he didn't remember there to be.

_Now fall off to sleep, I`m not meaning to keep you_

_I`ll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lay, lay _

Why Endavi? Why do you love me?...

/

"Well, that does make sense." Quella said slowly, breaking an awkward silence that followed Obi-Wan's story. "Another bondmate would heal your injuries and take care of your mental health."

"But it seems that they'd done the same thing we did with Shakti" Qui-Gon shifted uncomfortably on that thought and sat behind Obi-Wan, to have him in hand range. "Princess Endavi forcefully bonded Obi-Wan to herself, this way saving his life, but we too, forced Shakti to bond with Knight Kunein as he could balance her."

"We didn't have choice." Quella grimaced and exchanged glances with Taceho. "But I still don't know why my stupid sisters didn't tell me about you."

"I begged them not to." Obi-Wan smiled, leaning back into his lover's touch. He unconsciously started to stroke Qui-Gon's hand that now rested on his knee. "From what I'd got to know from Darth Maul on "Moonstar", we had a mole in the Order and I couldn't pass this chance of investigating from neutral position. I didn't want to endanger any of you, not knowing who the traitor may be…"

"Bullshit." Quella and Koga barked simultaneously, but after glancing at each other, the Knight recognised the superiority of the Master.

"According to Dai, you were delirious with fever and couldn't utter a complete sentence, being somehow imprisoned in some vision. And that means my idiot sisters acted on their own, ignoring the need to contact us first, because she said they didn't want us to have more _troubles_." The last word was nearly hissed, as Quella's face was dark with badly hidden anger. Qui-Gon felt a shudder travelling down his spine, but Obi-Wan's hand on his own told him to calm down.

"But your sisters might not have wanted to talk with you through the communicator, not to leak the information unintentionally… I guess if you two had seen each other, maybe Kodachi-nee would have said something." Obi-wan said, talking to Quella, but observing Koga, who tried hard not to look him in the eye. Yet, the woman's words made his attention turn back to her.

"Actually we had seen each other, Kenobi." Did he imagine that or did she shudder?

Obi-Wan frowned, feeling that Qui-Gon's hand clenched on his own.

"She didn't say anything about it. where did you..?"

"On your funeral."

/

Quella stood quietly in the crowd, far enough from Qui-Gon not to be noticed and close enough, to offer him her support. The Jedi that gathered at the ceremony, all loved, liked or, at least, knew Kenobi. Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi who died during mission to ensure the safety of the Universe, as someone said.

What rubbish, she thought. From under her hood, Quella observed those, who were allowed to come closer to the pyre, where the only found remains of the young man were placed. A Padawan braid, the lightsaber and a robe.

Mace Windu observed the crowd as well, from his position as a Council member, but at the same time, his dark eyes always came back to Qui-Gon, who looked pale, serene and drugged with sedatives. At the men's side, Anakin looked around with curiosity of a hyperactive kid. Not that she thought he would behave differently, but still, should Qui-Gon be in the right state of mind, he would have never allowed his Padawan to display such behaviour.

Other Masters showed a whole range of expressions. From sadness, through thoughtfulness to open annoyance at their own helplessness. But all of them seemed sincere, when they came to say goodbye to one of the Padawan's of the Coruscant Temple.

The crowd moved a little, making way for someone to come near the pyre and Quella hissed to herself, seeing who it was. In ornamental robes, with three maids at both her sides, General Princess Kodachi of Alberona stepped onto the platform where remains of Kenobi were to be burnt.

Quella remembered the moment she saw her sister at the space port. Kodachi came quite quickly as for such distance, which was a little suspicious, but right then, Quella didn't spare it a single thought. Her mind was full of plans and projects how to keep Qui-Gon not depressed and healthy, she didn't have time for such details. But when the maids went down the gangway, standing at the sides of the stairs, there were two guests coming down, instead of just one.

Not that Koga Kunein mattered. He paid his respect by bowing low, but that was all Quella got from him; his only interest was where Shakti was held and when he could see her. Not that it was bad in itself, for a second Quella was really happy to know that another bondmate would heal her Padawan. But there were more pressing problems at hand.

Quella's attention snapped back to reality, when she heard her sister's high voice. Kodachi stood near the pyre, with eyes closed and sang.

_Anar'Alah, Anar'Alah Belore_

_Sin'dorei_

_Shindu Fallah na_

_Sin'dorei_

A song for a fallen warrior, Quella thought and somehow, she felt jealous. And nauseous, both together. She would have never received such honour; yet she wasn't sure she wanted to. Being an exiled princess was nothing, when one had Qui-Gon near…

…who looked into distance with his eyes as empty and serene as a blue sky, equally expressionless…

Under her hood, Quella whined quietly and her eyes started to sting.

* * *

*for the purpose of this story, I adapted the suffixes that are used in Japan into Shairaani society... the case is, to be polite, one should use a proper suffix when talking to someone. not using anything means that those two are in extremely good/intimate relationship. alright?

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SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

During stay on Shairaan, Obi-Wan gets to know that Shakti had already someone chosen to be her bondmate, a freshman in Shairaani Assassins Formation, Koga Kunein. Those two didn't like each other at all, but because of some incidents, Koga agrees (grudgely) to let Obi-Wan take care of Shakti, but threatening that he will get him wherever Kenobi goes if he made tha girl cry. that's why when Koga punches Obi-Wan he says he deserved it, because of the old promise, he didn't fullfil.

during that stay also, it turns out that Endavi fell in love with Obi-Wan at first sight. she tries to kick out Shakti and make Obi-wan stay, but Kodachi and Quella somehow made her let him go. yet, when she gets Obi-Wan injured and dying in her hands, she saves him without thinking, bonding him to herself, even though they were not supposed to bond, as they had different bond factor (to make it simpler - it hurts like hell if you bond with someone with different factor). and as much as Endavi is a sopiled, genius bitch, she took care of Obi-Wan (that's why she didn't attend funeral) and sang until she lost her voice, this way transferring all healing pain to herself. pretty f*cked p, isn't she ;)


	6. Chapter 6 Song for a confused mind

_Witch's thoughts: well, yeah. that's been a while. let's skip the part when I'm embarassed okay-_-? it's been too long!... ok, I'll skip my rant too. so, down to the bussiness._

_I lost the chapters chart, so this one is kind of... filler-ish? don't know how to put that. anyway, the plot goes on, some points are cleared and well... there is a song, actually... _

_"Hijo de la luna" by Sharah Brightman (I changed it to 'hija' for girl/daughter instead if 'hijo' - boy/son)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars nor anyone of the characters aside mine, yada, yada, making no money.  
_

* * *

_Gentle tones of piano, swirling flute streamers, leading violin…._

_She walked through the crowd like a lunatic, her movements swift, light, without thinking. Creatures and people of Archimedes Asteroid were obediently coming out of her way, when she went straight ahead. In the alleys, always looking the same, she saw the same faces, same buildings and same flowers in pots, but she was staring into the distance, not blinking, not seeing, not recognizing anything. Going forward, always forward until her feet were sore, muscles tired and breath short. More alleys, always the same, always straight as an arrow, only more people, still the same, but more and more, and the crowd wasn't parting so eagerly, it wasn't Archimedes anymore, people started to look at her, their eyes silver, cold, empty… her feet hurt, bled, but she went forward, always forward, she had to move, walk, run… people were walking with her, behind her, pushing her back and urging her to go faster, she was afraid to look at them, to turn around and see their cruel eyes, accusing, icy pieces of iron… their glances were like blades, hurting her feet, dragging her down, but she had to go, terrified that if she stopped moving, she would drown in their flesh, melting like snow into a pool of bottomless ocean, silently, constantly denying her any air…_

/

Shakti was sitting on her bed, covered in cold sweat and gulping for air in needy breaths. What she had seen was haunting her for some time now. Always the same: white people with their empty eyes following her as she tried to reached somewhere, she didn't know where, but the very concept of going there was making her hairs stand up on her neck. Shakti covered her eyes with hands and squeezed her eyelids shut firmly, trying to get rid of the image.

Hija de la luna.

She knew that term. An albino. A daughter of the moon. Hija de la luna. She had been called that once, she remembered that well enough. Shakti moaned, when a dull ache from the back of her head made her dizzy. Getting up from her bed to get some water to drink, she nearly jumped backwards, noticing that someone was observing her. Two shining points in surrounding darkness moved, disappearing for a moment and when they came back, a glass of water was pushed into Shakti's unmoving hand. A black, lean shape of four-legged animal was nearly unnoticeable in the dark, but the girl sighed heavily with relief. Looking as Koga positioned himself again near the entrance to the kitchen on his lair, Shakti drank her water, focusing on shutting her outer shields more firmly. She was quite sure that she didn't want her bondmate to see this particular dream. Koga might have been suspecting she was having nightmares, he much likely knew that already as she woke up every night with yell of terror on her lips, but she was sure as hell, it wasn't for him to see. Otherwise, Koga would have committed a murder on Obi-Wan at least three times already.

Shakti sighed again and touched her feverish forehead with cool glass. She had to get better soon, her schedule expecting her to wake up in three hours to check up on trainees in her ward. And her patients needed her… the girl sniffed weakly. She wasn't in her best lately and that accidents with Kenobi weren't helping her. Adding up the problem that occurred earlier that day, everything went just down the hill and Shakti simply didn't have any strength left to face any of it. with tears now freely flowing down her pale face, she sat down where she was standing, sobbing quietly and helplessly into welcoming embrace of darkness. She didn't even flinch when suddenly she could feel fur on her skin, just stretched her arms and held Koga by his neck, when the panther encircled her small body. The animal growled harshly, nuzzling up against her, but that wasn't enough. Shakti wept like a scared child, afraid to go back to sleep, not wanting to see these empty stares again and she couldn't calm down. Koga tried to help her, but Shakti spent too much time among humans, people, humanoids. Shairaani were alien for her as much as for Obi-Wan and Koga, who could offer only rough comfort of a warrior, couldn't do anything to quieten his girl. Shakti was holding him desperately, fisting his black, shining fur and shaking her head, when he wanted to draw hair from her face with one of his tails.

With an angered grunt, Koga morphed into his human form, easily preventing Shakti from getting up on her own and escaping. Lifting her without effort, the man laid her down on the bed, getting there himself and covering them both with a blanket.

"What are you…!"

"Quiet." He snapped. With sure movements, he gathered her in his arms, lying down on cool sheets. For a moment, silence followed, hanging between them as a needle, thin and seemingly safe, but at the same time able to draw blood.

Shakti moved a little, afraid to breath louder. Since earlier, when Koga got a glimpse of the black part of her, he was silent and didn't want to communicate through their bond. She understood that; he knew that she was doing some spy work and that involved to embody someone else, but never had he seen how exactly it looked like. Kusj Blackstone was a deepest, most hated and best kept secret of Shakti. Only Bruck, who had a role as her guardian, knew about her double identity. And Taceho Raksion. Even her Master knew less than them. It had to be this way. It had to be. Had to be. Had to be. Hadtobe. Hadtobehadtobehadto-

"Shakky."

A quiet whisper in the dark, not a voice through the bond. Shakti blinked and looked a little up, meeting dark, shining eyes of her bondmate, observing her expectantly.

"Does she scare you?"

Shakti didn't have to ask who he was asking for, it was obvious enough. Koga hated Bruck, truth to be told, he didn't like anyone here, maybe just respected Quella and Qui-Gon. But that was all. However, he respected Bruck as well, as he kept guard at Shakti's side when Koga himself wasn't allowed to. Now, the question about Kusj seemed to be breaking some kind of taboo, some subject that she would up until now talk about with Chun or her Master.

"She does."

"Trust me." He said, encircling her with her arms and Shakti tensed for a moment. But Koga stayed like that, without moving, threatening, saying anything. Just being there, making her feel safe and Shakti felt her eyes began to close…

/

"You must be kidding me, Quella" Obi-Wan snorted angrily, not caring that she winced being called by her name. "Baby recovered, right? Aside from attacking me, she seemed alright! And even that, I just heard it from you guys, I don't remember a thing! Maybe you want to talk me into something?"

"Oh yeah, we just want to make you a butt of jokes, just for your inconvenience." Bruk barked, then started to shout. "Enough is enough! Do you think everything happened just to make you feel bad? Quit with that thinking centred on yourself! You might be the great martyr Kenobi, but for Force's sake I swear…!"

"You swear nothing, Padawan" Taceho cut into Bruck speech, laying his hand on the other's arm. "We all are here to hear the truth about what had happened. This is no place to argue."

Bruck stepped down, obeying his teacher, but Obi-Wan didn't like the look they shared. He felt as if there was something more he missed and he thought he had to have a word with Taceho. Really quick.

"The healers said that her state of mind was disastrous and there was little they could do" Quella said coolly, eyeing them with hardly inhibited anger. "She attacked people, Kenobi. All alike, be it a Jedi, a healer, me or Qui-Gon. Didn't matter."

"That's rid…"

"Until she met Knight Chun."

Obi-Wan closed his mouth so fast that his teeth clicked. He turned to see Bruck, who was already looking at him with clear hate.

"Now, that's a lie." Obi-Wan said slowly, narrowing his eyes. But Qui-Gon didn't let him believe in that for one second.

"Of course it's not. You see, my Padawan, you two share a similar Force signature; not identical, just similar. But that was enough to put Shakti off balance."

"When we managed to restrain her, she was on the top of Bruck, clutching to him and sobbing 'yer not Ben, yer not Ben…'" Taceho managed to add.

"That's… horrible." Obi-Wan seemed shocked. He apparently wasn't himself, Qui-Gon thought. He cared about the girl, he knew his padawan did, but why so much denial? Why he was defending himself so much? What was wrong?

"You tell me?" Quella raised an eyebrow at him mockingly. "I had to sedate my own Padawan and somehow get her to Shairaan. In public transport! Do you even know what hell that was?"

/

Quella navigated through the crowd in the biggest space port on Archimedes Asteroid, trying to avoid touching the natives as much as she could. She hated being in the centre of attention, but here, where the Jedi were a rare occurrence, she made a lot of commotion. And two Jedi were a reason for real chaos.

"Stay by my side Padawan, don't lose me." She barked verbally and through the bond, adding a little mesmeric tone to it.

"Yes Master." Came from her right, quiet, weak sound. Quella gritted her teeth and elbowed a fat female looming over her. Another glance to her side revealed that nothing changed; Shakti followed her Master as obediently as mindlessly, her eyes perfectly calm, empty and clouded with sedatives. Her pupils were so thin that the girl looked as if she had whole eyes only green.

After recognizing the need to heal the girl somewhere else, Quella called Kodachi and came up with a way to treat broken bond, but first, the two of them had to come to the planet. It turned out, it wasn't as easy as it sounded, as the Temple could provide them not with a ship, confiscating Quella's own, which meant, she had to use regular shuttles in order to get near the proper planet. But at least, Shairaani healers and emphatic Dai would surely cure the girl… or what was left of her. The kitten followed her Master, because they made her to, she was so mesmerised and sedated that her brain, exhausted by broken bond was nearly sleeping while being awake. She was susceptible to suggestion and that was what saved Quella from fighting her way with taking the girl to their home planet.

Quella stopped for a moment, thinking how to go around a group of Xscisctians, when in the next second she was pushed forward by a falling body. Cursing, she swiftly avoided the ground and jumped to her legs, with her hand on the saber's handle.

"Padawan!" her voice hitched in amazement and irritation. Shakti stood low, in battle figure of one of the more offensive katas, while four beaten Coriellians were crawling near her legs, including the one that nearly knocked Quella down. Behind the girl, another female was crouching, scared.

"Padawan!" Quella was furious. Shakti didn't have her saber, it was taken from her to prevent any more damage to anyone else, but that didn't stop the girl from sending those men flying. However, hearing her Master's voice, Shakti slouched and straightened.

"What do you think you are doing! With so many people around! You might have hurt somebody!"

"Erm… excuse me…" came from behind her, when Quella yelled at the top of her voice at her Padawan, who looked as if she tried to simply disappear. Master turned around violently.

"I-it's my fault, I'm sorry!" Quella saw that young human female, who stepped back a little, flinching under her fiery gaze. When Shairaani didn't say anything, only narrowed her eyes, the woman continued talking, quickly, as if afraid Quella would interrupt her.

"I was a-attacked, they wanted my money" she said, nervously tugging at her sleeves. Quella frowned, noticing high quality of her clothes. "your… Padawan, was it? she saved me from them. Thank you. And I'm sorry! It's my fault."

"It is." Quella said, coolly. Holding firmly Shakti's arm, she added. "Next time do not stop alone in the middle of the crowd, wearing such expansive clothes. It provokes the thieves."

Once again, Quella looked the woman from head to toes, noting diamond earrings, jewellery, fancy shoes and professional make-up she was wearing. What such a wealthy girl was doing at the airport, with no one to guard her valuables? Quella didn't know and didn't care, still thinking desperately how to escape the gathering that was forming around them without triggering Shakti's berserker instincts.

"I'm sorry." Came again from the girl and Quella was seconds away from telling her to quit apologising and to try finding her way out, when the woman said something that silenced the Master.

"I haven't seen anyone like that before! Hija de la luna! So beautiful..."

Quella paled. Her face went completely white so fast that she felt herself swing on her feet, before she composed herself enough to answer the woman. She didn't know who that girl was, but that simple phrase reminded Quella of when she was wanted and tried to escape. Hija de la luna! Albino! White girl! White as a moon… some people were calling that woman, naming her 'Miss Saria' and Quella's mind screamed at her that it remembers such name, it always remembered, even if she didn't want to, but now was not the time, not a very good time that is. She turned around on her heel and stormed away.

Dragging confused Shakti after herself, Quella marched through the crowd to their shuttle with so much hatred on her face and in her signature, that people were jumping out of her way unconsciously. Her tail whipped furiously through the air, when she gave their tickets to the clerk and before the male could say something, she disappeared in the passenger zone. Only when they got to their seats, she did relax.

Contrary to Quella's fears, Shakti didn't react to what had happened and remained sedated and calm. She was sitting in a place her Master ordered her to, not moving much, only blinking from time to time, the movement of her eyelids slow and tired. It pained the Master to see usually lively girl in a state like that, but it was necessary. Due to headstrongness of the Council, right now Quella was escorting a bomb that could go off anytime, if not handled properly. She had a fresh memory in mind, the one when she was praying to whatever divinity was listening, when she saw her Padawan on the top of Padawn Chun, her steel claws near his vulnerable throat. Quella was still sweating, just thinking about that. And who could have thought Shakti had it in her, just by looking at her now, composed and absent-minded?

The flight went uneventful, so far. Quella started to relax a little. Her muscle hurt from staying tensed for too long, but she couldn't help it. Imagining a blood bath on casual flight shuttle didn't make her less nervous. But finally, her organism gave in. Seeing that Shakti seemed to be napping, Quella closed her eyes herself. Only for a moment….

…. Just to be startle awake some time later, with a bad feeling travelling down her spine. Kicked out of her sleep, she didn't know what was going on for a moment, where she was and what was wrong, but soon everything clicked in place. Quella jumped to her feet.

Holographic screens were on, transmitting some kind of a concert, but Quella couldn't care less. Her eyes were set at the figure in the centre of the corridor between the seats, in front of the biggest screen. Shakti had her eyes closed and in sudden silence, she was singing along with the singer.

_Luna quieres ser madre_

_y no encuentras querer_

_que te haga mujer_

_dime luna de plata_

_qué pretendes hacer_

_con un niño de piel_

_Hija de la Luna_

"Padawan!" Quella yelled, only to be quieten by the passengers, and quickly forced to sit down. These few seconds she was restrained by hypnotized people, she realized that her fear was unnecessary; Shakti just stood there, following the singer in word and in music, with her sweet, little voice telling a story about mothers and children. For several minutes, Quella felt strange, she wasn't used to be calm these days. But the song soon ended and no one prevented her anymore to go to her girl.

Just in time. with the last notes of music, Shakti literarily collapsed backwards, falling directly in her Master's outstretched hands.

"I'm tired, Master" she whispered, looking up. Her eyes, beautiful green eyes were clear and free from any cloud of sedatives. Before the eyelids closed, Quella saw some emotions behind them, anger, suffering, denial and sadness, terrifying sadness. And then was just her girls exhausted face.

Behind her, the screen transmitted the interview with a singer.

".. the idea for the song?"

"I had an encounter today… would you actually believe that I met a real hija de la luna? A beautiful, white girl…"

Quella jumped hearing this voice and turned around so abruptly that her neck gave out a sound of protest. A text was visible at the bottom of the screen and two words made her snort with irritation, before she looked back at Shakti. 'Saria Maniszk". What a place she found, to fall down and tried to be robbed, Quella thought annoyed. Now, she remembered the singer, no wonder she was looking so wealthy. But right now, Quella had more pressing problems at hand. There were still two days until they reach next planet and Shakti's breathing was erratic and uneven. She was cool and completely out, her body defenceless and limp. Gritting her teeth, Quella called healer of the shuttle to help her and modified the plan of taking the girl to Shairaan immediately. Right now, they needed a doctor, a healer, preferably Shairaani healer, but they needed him fast.

Shakti fell into a coma.

/

Quella winced remembering that, before she felt a wave of warm concern covering her cooler mind. She pushed it away.

"Get back Ceho, I don't need you."

The other Master just smiled. Being used to her rough character as he was, Taceho just strengthened him calming aura on the other two troublemakers, but Koga and Bruck didn't seem to care even a little. They still looked at Kenobi as if they were ready to rip his head off. And probably were ready, each from different reasons, though.

"That was awful." Obi-Wan whispered, staring into nothingness. His eyes were unfocused, he might have been imagining the whole scene in his head. He shuddered.

"Sure was. But thanks to that we managed to put Shakti back together and she is now nearly as she used to be… before you two parted." Taceho added quietly. Obi-Wan turned to him, but there was no hostility in Master's voice, nor was it in his posture and face. He and Qui-Gon seemed to be the only ones in the room that weren't blaming Obi-Wan for something and he was grateful for that. But, that didn't change the point that he had to do something about that leaving-Shakti thing, not taking care of her and well, not caring much about her now. What, he didn't know, but he did know he had to do something.

Then, it actually hit Obi-Wan what he had thought a second ago and he just had to hide his face in his palms in shame.

"That's right Obi-Wan." Taceho's voice was warm and sad, but full of strangely grim determination. "We will set you straight. We will."


	7. Chapter 7a The history of us

_**Witch's thoughts :** before anybody gets excited, I'M NOT BACK. I mean, yet. because it's closer and closer to that, so be patient a little more and stay put - I haven't lost interest in SW and I'm tapping my toes in anticipation, when I finish my MA thesis and be free to write whatever I want. the only exception was that I participated in a contest that had one of the prizes a contract that would be signed with me, so I really made my best. but aside that, I'm writing my thesis with my nose in a dictionary :sigh: anyway, for those who actually went through my rambling, one important thing. this chapter is only a TEASER, as I didn't have time to finish it, but I haven't posted anything for so long, that I got tempted ^^' sorry ^^'_

_AND! I have to say that not so long ago I met in real life of my precious friends and also critics, FelesMagica and I have to announce it here because I had a wonderful time, it is a really sweet memory and I beg of you my dear Feles, forgive me for not contacting you for so loooooong. and looooooooooooooooong. sorry!_

_as for the chapter, you have to forgive Edi, she has foul mouth. ^^  
_

* * *

Qui-Gon finished folding his robe and looked at his former Padawan with worry.

Sitting on their bed as he was left some time ago, Obi-Wan covered his face with hands and stayed this way. He must have cried, Qui-Gon knew he heard a sob, quiet little sound of someone so deep in despair that they see no way out. But there was a way out and both of them knew it. the problem was, Obi-Wan had to mentally go back where he came from and, frankly speaking, it scared lights out of him.

"Obi-Wan?" the man whispered standing before his lover, but gained no response. Qui-Gon gathered his wits, trying not to think about how much it must hurt Obi-Wan to actually be indifferent for a person he loved dearly not so long ago, and his old man's jealously was of no significance compared to young man's suffering.

"Please, look at me." He tried again and this time, even if only a little, Obi-Wan moved. Placing his hands in front of himself, he pinched the bridge of his nose in tired gesture.

"What is happening to me, Key?" he asked, quietly, calmly, but with a chaos in his head, so easily detected by other, loving and caring mind. "I didn't want to be so cruel. But they think I was, don't they?" Obi-Wan sighed, squeezing his eyes firmly shut, as if trying to prevent crying again. Instead of tears, more words flowed from his mouth, floating in the air like lazy and slow dragonflies.

"Quella thinks that if I wasn't so hot-headed all of that would not have happened… and Koga blames me for everything bad that happened to Ba.. Shakti." He seemed not to notice that Qui-Gon sat down beside him, carefully trying not to disturb young man's train of thoughts. Not knowing what to do, the man started to gently massage Obi-Wan's arms, to relax muscles clenched so tightly, that his back was as stiff as a board. Usually, Obi-Wan would straight himself right away, move more comfortably into his lovers' hands and nearly purr with pleasure, but now, he didn't seem to care. Actually, he didn't seem to notice that someone touched him, in opposition to first days in Temple after he came back, when he was jumping into defending position at every quicker movement. In a different situation Qui-Gon would be pleased that his boy finally regained enough trust to remain inattentive around him, but right now, he started to worry even more. Not that it concerned him that Obi-Wan didn't react to him….

His attempt to calm down Obi-Wan through Force and their bonds was met with nervous shrug. Obi-Wan jumped from the bed, grabbing his tunic and dressing quickly.

"Is there anything…"

"I have to go. I… I need to talk and… I mean…" Obi-Wan closed his eyes in irritation, drew a deep breath and tried again, fighting his nervousness. "I want to talk to a professional. I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, but I need to talk to Ceho."

Obi-Wan turned around and left quickly, as if afraid that if he did look at his lover, his heart would shatter from unexplained grief. He stormed outside, barely palming the door, not seeing that Qui-Gon slouched on the bed, now alone.

/

Taceho sighed and composed himself, setting aside all personal matters that unfortunately got interrupted. His mind used to deal with diplomats of all races and temperaments worked fast, easily finding a way to avoid nearing crisis. His voice was firm, even though his heart bled.

"Padawan, leave."

"But T… Master!" Bruck stopped strangling Obi-Wan with his eyes and turned around. However, before he managed to voice more of his objection, strong mental suggestion, along with pained look of the man caused his to lose his harsh posture.

"Please, leave." Taceho's voice was gentle as usual, but there was something to it that Bruck couldn't actually pinpoint, making the Master seem upset or shaken. What could that be? Surely not that hypocritical bastard Kenobi! They left him with Master Jinn some time ago and he still was impertinent enough to come here! As if Taceho was his personal psychologist, having to hear whatever and whenever mighty Kenobi had to say… Bruck felt anger boiling in him, inhibited by his tightly controlled shields and emphatic training that his Master taught him. He saw that Taceho was tired, really tired after long-term mission, but he couldn't rest even a little since Kenobi came back with all that fuss about himself.

But he was obedient. Stripped from his pride and forced to build up his self-confidence once again in the past, Bruck Chun understood what it meant to be dedicated to one's mission. As a result, that and only that caused him to swallow up his irritated words, bow quickly and march out of Master Raksion's chambers, throwing him last, hot gaze.

Taceho shuddered slightly seeing it, but in next second his attention jumped to his friend and he became serious again.

"What troubles you, Obi-Wan?" Taceho asked in gentle voice. Sitting down, he gestured the other to do the same, but to no avail. Freed from presence of someone he thought he had to guard against, Obi-Wan started to pace around the room, nervously looking around like a scared animal.

"I feel like I'm going insane." He blurted out, turning to the other man, his face twisted in emotion. But it lasted just a split of second; Obi-Wan drew in a shaky breath, diving into welcoming embrace of the Force stabilizing his presence easily thanks to that. As a well-trained Jedi, he composed himself even quicker than it took him to panic. But Taceho wasn't fooled.

"You seem fine to me, Obi-Wan." He said calmly, leaning backwards to support his back. "Tired and stressed, but fine. What is the matter then?"

"Ceho…" Obi-Wan sang with a warm note in his voice. Walking quickly closer, he sat down beside his friend. " I know they blame me for everything, but why?" he came even closer, made a move as if he wanted to be hugged, touched… but he didn't do it.

"You mean… Quella and Knight Kunein? Well, I guess that's how they are… different way of thinking, if you want." Taceho said carefully, tensing, when he felt Obi-Wan closer, but embracing him nonetheless. That's how he was, always the one to comfort others. "But mainly because you hide something and they know it. just not sure what can it be… you know Quella, she is so insecure that she becomes violent faced with a secret. And mind you, that involves her sisters."

Taceho's gentle, not pushing voice seemed to work on Obi-Wan. He leaned into Master's touch, at first reluctantly, but later with much eagerness, with a sigh setting his body into comfortable position. He didn't notice that Taceho encircled him with his arms in a way that made the Knight unable to escape.

"Will you tell me what had happened to you, Obi-Wan?" the Master asked, after a moment of silence prolonged. Young man twitched, but then relaxed, feeling warm, familiar body next to himself, one of the few people he felt secure with. But even so, his voice came out quiet and unsure.

"I… I don't remember well."

"But, you know. How?" Taceho started to comb Obi-Wan's loose hair with his fingers, massaging his scalp. He felt the other relax even more and he smiled. However, the smile vanished, when he heard the answer.

"I know what happened. Edi told me."

Princess Endavi of Alberona. The Lady. Taceho felt his lips twist at the mention of Quella's youngest sister. They've never met, yet she was well-known for the emphatic Jedi. He had to deal with her ghost, memories that haunted Quella mercilessly, denying her any sleep. Sometimes she managed to put up with it herself; for majority of the time however, she went to Taceho, who allowed her to forget. To pick up the memory and temporarily pretend it didn't exist. These were all about Endavi.

"You believed her?" Taceho asked, instead of all curses that tried to get out of his mouth. His usually pacifistic self gave in to the part of his soul he was deeply ashamed of; that part of him worshipped Quella as his benefactor and very first friend, setting her the priority and as much as he wanted to follow such an urge, he squashed it down and remained calm enough to listen to Obi-Wan.

"I saw it… in her memory. Our bond enabled me to." Taceho didn't recognize himself anymore. Usually he didn't have problems with hearing about other people's troubles, accidents. Now, he suffered with every word Obi-Wan said. Maybe that was his nature, but maybe he was already aware of everything these words would change or cause?

"Please, tell me." He whispered.

/

Endavi tripped on the carpet with her high heel and cursed violently. Gathering fabric of her rich dress, she started to run, accompanied with two small, grey, intelligence cats and monotonous alarm signal in military base under Alberona city.

Storming into the proper room, she marched forward.

"What's the meaning of this? I'm busy! You can't call me anytime you want, dammit!"

Kodachi just looked at her with blank face, which was distorted strangely. Thinking that it was quite some time since she saw her sister neglect herself and her morphing so much, Endavi was seconds from rude barking, when she saw pictures of sonar on a near screen. First, she didn't understand. Next, she nearly ripped the screen with cables.

"Fuck" she screamed. "It's my ship! What's _Moonstar_ doing here! ?"

Kodachi sighed and freed guiltless equipment from her sister's claws. She would rather have that screen serve her in future too.

"We received an mayday signal from this ship some time ago, but I decided to observe its movements before telling you. The message wasn't coded and I think it's not Nadi…

"The hell I care about her! Why is my ship this damaged? What happened! I'll kill her, I'll fucking kill that bitch!" Edi shouted, stomping around in fury. her sister, who spent a considerable part of her life in army, only grimaced at those words.

"Endavi!" finally, Dai lost her patience. She felt the others anger alright, but there was no time for it. "Listen to me! Can this ship go through the atmosphere? I mean, in state it is now?"

It seemed that an accusation that something she made would not withstand any of the planet layers offended the youngest of Alberona sisters. She pouted.

"Of course" Edi said, now slowly and with consideration, as always when something involved machines. "Who do you think I am? And who do you think she is? I knew that bitch isn't going to take care of my ship, so I made it as resistant as they come. Why?"

The older princess looked as if she had already a long day and her sister wasn't making it any better. She pointed with her claw at the screen and whispered.

"Look for yourself. The trajectory will end near Alberona, but the ship is going through the space posts in straight line. As much as I suspect Nadi is on board, she must be injured or hibernated, because nobody is answering the line and ship seems to be on autopilot."

Edi shrugged. "So?"

"The way it is aimed" said Dai through clenched teeth "it is impossible to intercept. It will crash in fifteen minutes."

Blinking, Edi had on the end of her tongue that she didn't care, but a horrid thought made her nearly jump in place.

"My ship!" she yelled in high voice, already running away, not remembering to close the door behind herself, her heels clicking quickly on the corridor, when she was shouting orders. Kodachi sighed yet again, thinking she was doing that awfully a lot during last few hours. Her head started to hurt and she didn't have any motivation left to keep morphing. Her features changed completely to feline, before she turned to surveillance staff that who were lurking in shadows, not wanting to disturb their princess.

"Go after her and keep an eye that she would not kill anyone on her way" she ordered weakly, going out herself. Marching towards the speed-boat platform, she thought that the ship is easy; harder would be making her sisters not kill each other.

/

Endavi nearly ripped the metal with her bare claws, now in pilot's outfit and high boots, but still an unnerving princess. Looking at a mountain of junk that used to be her masterpiece, she first paled, turned green, red and now violet in seconds, yelling at the top of her lungs a lot of curses and swearing.

Sighing a countless time today, Kodachi left her to her anger and ordered her guards to remove the hatch carefully, as at least _should_ be someone there. Expecting a bloodied but alive body of her older sister, Dai got alarmed, when tigers paused longer than needed in taking out the person. She jogged there quickly, elbowing taller soldiers.

What she saw made her sharply draw in a breath. In the cockpit, on pilot's seat, there was no Shairaani. There was a human and she sure as hell knew him!

Endavi got through the guards with her usual, proud attitude of a princess, before Dai composed herself and forbade her. However, when the general was frozen in amazement, she only needed a short glance, before jumping inside with a cry.

"Obi-Wan!"


	8. Chapter 7b It's good you are back

_Witch's thoughts:_ hopefully, nearly back. but not entirely yet. :sigh:

:heavy sigh:

enjoy!

* * *

"He will not live another twenty hours."

The chief Priestess murmured like an old lady, despite being just in her late third stage. Her robe was royal grey and her hood with signs of high position, but even so, the cat still was more a peasant than an elite. This was enough to throw Endavi off her already weak balance.

"Why is this miserable piece of corolli shit touching Obi-Wan? Get a medic here!" she shouted to her servants, who immediately jogged outside the chamber "and get him quick or I'll rip your tails out and use them as a doorbell!

Kodachi rubbed hurting eyes and chose to speak, despite her weariness. Either that or Endavi was going to put whole place in chaotic panic, where no one would know, what was it that they were panicking about.

"The high Priestess is right Edi." She said gently, but shuddered, when her sister turned around abruptly. Her eyes were shiny and cold as ice. "you cannot deny this."

"I can!" Edi shouted rebelliously "And I will! I won't let him die, Dai!"

The general sighed, then continued in more irritated voice.

"As if I want that to happen." Her tone was tired, but still strong. "You should know better. The ship's hibernation device was created for a Shairaani! For Nadi, to be exact and Mother knows she is no regular Shairaani. But no matter how human Nadi is, this boy could have not lived through the process! It's a miracle he is alive now!"

Kodachi didn't know that the Padawan concerned her that much, but nearly shouting at pale Edi made her realize that she didn't want to let him die too. It's just that she didn't see any way that would allow him to be rescued. Kenobi was in to instable state to perform any operation on him, he lost too much blood from his wounds and it was only thanks to the hibernation process that he managed to survive so far. His instincts must have actived very strongly in this young one, she thought. Even now, after being woken up from sleep state, the only thing he was able to do was to breathe shakily and cry quietly from pain. Kodachi wasn't sure if he was even conscious, but his eyes were open and he seemed to try to say something, despite having his lungs and vocal cords damaged.

"If Matrah was here…" the high Priestess began, but Endavi turned to her with so much hatred in her eyes and face, that the woman squeaked and ran away, bumping in the doorway with Edi's personal medic.

"I agree. If Matrah was here, everything would be simpler." He roared, bending a little to walk under a doorway. He was a lion from Jao Islands and they were said to be the biggest ones on the planet. But aside from that, Healer Matp'sa was the gentlest male Kodachi knew. "However if we don't have what we want, we have to cope with what we have."

Humming quietly in his mane, the lion came closer, gently but firmly moving Endavi away, at the same time nodding and listening to her feverish instructions. He had his medical bag with him, but one glance at the patient made him narrow his eyes in worry.

"He is alive, but barely." Edi rolled her eyes and shouted 'I know this already! Do something!', before the lion spoke again. "How long do you want me to keep him this way, my violent princess?"

His words made Endavi blink and Kodachi frowned. Stepping forward, the general cut off her younger sister.

"What do you mean, Matp'sa?" she asked slowly. She thought she began to understand, but wanted to confirm some things. "What do you want to do?"

"That's not what I want to do, princess" said Matp'sa sadly" but what I need to. It is a choice to either keep him alive or keep him alive and healthy."

Endavi stomped violently with her leg, trying to grab tiger's clothes by his throat. As she was too short, she settled for violent tugging at his sleeves.

"There is no choice! I want him alive! And healthy!"

"Then do you want to lose your own health in return, Endavi-hime*?"

The princesses fell silent in amazement. The younger even stepped back from the medic, blinking in disbelief. Both of them were subconsciously aware of what he was talking about, but strangeness of the idea was so overwhelming that they couldn't acknowledge it just yet.

The lion observed them calmly.

/

Kodachi looked through a transparent wall in medical bay.

"You are sure it is going to work out?"

Matp'sa returned her nervous glance with complete serenity, until he averted his eyes slowly.

"Not really." Matp'sa said with a sigh " but you surely know that not every process between Shairaani is connecting as well. They have as much of a chance as everyone. The question is, if the kid survives that."

Dai shuddered.

"You said it will be alright!"

"I said it is possible to work out. Not that it is obvious to be so."

Looking as the medic was preparing everything for the operation with indifferent, icy calm, Kodachi felt as if she was going to puke. She hadn't felt like that for a while now – she was plainly and unmistakably scared. Trying not to think too much about the tools, lying on an operating table near her, Dai gulped heavily. A few meters away, on a preparations table, lied her baby sister, surrounded by nurses and medical equipment. With unusual calmness, she allowed herself to be checked and measured, ignoring even when the staff started to disinfect her veins. It was so strange, so foreign for a sister, for someone knowing how troublesome and proud Endavi was, that Dai tensed. Feeling danger for someone she promised to protect and at the same time not being able to do anything about that was torturing her. And even so, even without looking, Dai knew that through all rough preparation process, Edi's small, white hand was holding Obi-Wan's.

Just this once, Kodachi wished she wasn't emphatic at all.

/

Obi-Wan got more comfortable in Taceho's arms, as if trying to mask tensing a little. The Master didn't say anything; during Obi-Wan's story, he remained silent and unmoving. Trying to understand and imagine what had happened, Taceho suffered from oversensitivity of emotions that the other experienced and remembered well, despite this whole time. Not only he hated the feeling of Obi-Wan's helplessness, but also a thought of Endavi Alberona was unpleasant for him. Why, he didn't know and wasn't sure if he ever wanted to know. But the problem was, this was not the end yet.

"The operation succeeded…" Obi-Wan sounded dream. "And I woke up some time later…"

Taceho knew that he will hate himself for saying this, but spoke up nonetheless.

"Tell me about it."

/

Sometime later, when the Temple was falling into night shift time, Shakti was walking home. After practice with her Knights-to-be, she was exhausted and weary. Massaging her own shoulders, she sighed heavily. Even during exercises, she couldn't get rid of this annoying pang of pain, lurking in the back of her mind. It caused her to perform some basic mistakes and in the end, she had to shorten the practice and let the students go.

Soft steps behind her were well-know and foreign at the same time and Shakti couldn't help, but become alert. Stopping immediately, she leaned on the pillar and waited, giving in to her instincts rather than believing her reason that nothing bad can happen in the Temple. She thought that for a long time, but one bloody battle in cafeteria was enough for the time being.

However, all her precautions were unnecessary and Shakti relaxed visibly, as the steps came closer. Taceho smiled, rising his hand in greeting.

"Hello, Baby."

"Hello 'Ceho. How have you been?"

"Been better" he said, still smiling, but Shakti could easily notice dark circles under his eyes. "But what about you? You don't look well."

"And I'm not." Unexpectedly, she smiled too "But it's nothing serious. Just tired. Looking for someone?"

Shakti was amazed how guarded and focused Taceho's eyes became at this innocent question. She might have been tired, but her sharp senses worked independently from her Jedi mind. And that's why she suddenly understood.

"You were looking for me…?"

"Yes." Taceho breathed out, as if a large weight was lifted from his shoulders. He too, looked exhausted and as if he took more than he could manage. Shakti felt strange, seeing him like that. But at the same time, understood him, subconsciously and entirely.

"Come." She said quietly "my apartment is nearby. We will talk there."

It looked like Taceho was troubled by something.

"Shakti…"

"Come, 'Ceho." She repeated, slouching tiredly. "Let's talk."

/

Bruck was sleeping soundly for a few hours already, when a small noise made him snap out of his dream. In an instant, he jumped from the bed, grabbing his 'saber from under the pillow and activating the blade.

Taceho caught his hand.

"I didn't want to wake you." He whispered. "I'm sorry."

Bruck deactivated his weapon, quickly discarding it on the floor, to catch Taceho, who was already leaning heavily on him. Being taller and more muscled than the other, he easily encircled him with arms.

"Master!" he exclaimed with worry, then said a little quieter. "Taceho… what happened?"

Maneuvering carefully he managed to get both of them on the bed to sit.

"Oh, it's nothing." The Master started clambering clumsily from his Padawan. "Just tired. I had a lot of psychological sessions today." He added with a small laugh. But Bruck wasn't amused.

"They wear you out, Taceho." He stated firmly, hugging him closer and preventing from getting up. "You are too kind and that's your problem."

"Maybe, Padawan." Taceho said sleepily, giving up on standing on his own legs and starting to caress Bruck's back instead. "Maybe."

"You have to quit it." Bruck barked, but composed himself quickly. "You're not their personal psychologist, right?"

"Right. But someone had to talk with them, Padawan." Taceho said, unexpectedly sternly. Saying it like this when he was bonelessly leaning on Bruck's shoulders looked ridiculous. "I told Shakti about her next mission and she wasn't happy about that, having just be back from the other one. But someone must do it."

"Yeah. Someone." Bruck nodded inattentively, nestling down into his Master's neck. He smelled like wind and chill, at the same time like a summer breeze. His cloak was rough on Bruck's naked skin, but he didn't mind. He liked everything that concerned his Master. Literarily everything.

"Master…" he whispered, barely audible. "Taceho…"

"I'm here Bruck." Taceho's voice was calm and warm as always, even much more so, as he felt like the young man hugged him closer. "Come, let's go to bed."

Snuggling together, still with Bruck all over him, Taceho sighed with relief. It began sometime in the past, soon after his Padawan was found, abandoned by Jedi hunters, bleeding and sick. And what's worse – mentally broken. A lot of effort and time were spent to bring Bruck to how he was feeling now, but Taceho didn't regret even a minute of it. Now, their relationship changed, as a result of "the therapy", but he didn't mind it either. He liked to believe that everything would be alright and even if he knew that it wouldn't be, why stress the others? Taceho was just this sort of a guy.

Bruck hugged him once more and nestled in the crook of his neck.

"It's good you are back." He murmured, already floating back to sleep. " Missed you."

"I missed you too." Taceho lifted his face a little, to kiss Bruck's forehead and eyelids. "Sleep well, mio amato."

* * *

*remember what I said about japanese suffixes? Yeah, still Japanese.

** my dear (Italian)


End file.
